São Paulo – This Friday (3rd), the new Tunisian ambassador to Brasília, Sabri Bachtobji, welcomed the Foreign Trade vice-president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rubens Hannun, who is also the honorary consul of Tunisia in the city of São Paulo. Bachtobji said Tunisian businessmen are attending trade shows Sial Brazil and Biofach Latin America, due in June in São Paulo. The former is a food and beverage fair, and the latter is for organic products.
According to a press release from the embassy, Bachtobji spoke for increased participation of businessmen from both countries in events of this kind. Apart from Sial and Biofach, he mentioned the Tunis investment Forum, which is also due in June. The ambassador believes the presence of Brazilians in Tunisian fairs and vice versa promotes raises awareness of existing opportunities for increased trade and bilateral partnerships.
“Tunisians and Brazilians share a long-standing empathy and friendship,” said the diplomat. “This constitutes a capital that must be taken advantage of, and we will do so together,” he added.
At the meeting, Bachtobji complimented the Arab Brazilian Chamber’s work for developing economic cooperation between Brazil and the Arab World. In addition to highlighting the “excellent” relations between Tunisians and Brazilians, he stressed that there is “considerable potential” for boosting relations even further.
The diplomat discussed not only bilateral trade, but also investment, tourism, culture, education and human development.
The ambassador also provided an update on his country’s political transition process since the popular uprising that upended former president Zine El Abdine Ben Ali’s regime in January 2011. He said elections and a new constitution should lay the foundations for a republic that is geared towards modernity, democracy, freedom, and the observance of human rights.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
