São Paulo – The United Arab Emirates may fund in 2024 training programs for African youth in Agriculture and Healthcare via the Youth Technical Training Program (YTTP) held by the Brazil Africa Institute (IBRAF). Last week IBRAF president João Bosco Monte met with United Arab Emirates International Cooperation minister Reem Al Hashimy (pictured) on a trip through the Middle East and Africa.
According to Monte, the YTTP aims to bring about the development of specific economic sectors in African countries with training provided by Brazilian institutions and foreign funding. Other editions of the YTTP implemented agricultural projects and received funding from different institutions like the African Import and Export Bank (Afreximbank) and the United Nations food agency FAO. For the 2024 edition to be launched in Brazil Africa Forum in late October, IBRAF has the support from the UAE.
“We’ll launch a long-term agenda to train African youth. We’ll still ascertain the (project’s) destination and scope, which is probably going to encompass the agriculture and healthcare sector, with the community health worker program. The institution will take the project to African countries in 2024 with funding from the UAE,” Monte told ANBA.
Meetings
On his trip through Africa and the Middle East, Monte has also visited Tunis, Tunisia, Dubai, UAE, and Madagascar. He met businesspeople from Libyan steelmaker Lisco. The company manufactures iron and steel products like steel rebars, rods and bars, among other products, and its major raw material suppliers are Brazilian miners Samarco and Vale. The firm seeks to expand its production in the next few years, thereby boosting imports from these companies.
In another meeting in the region, Monte met executives from Dubai-owned ports giant DP World, which operates major port facilities including the Port of Santos in Brazil, and Jafza, one of the UAE’s largest specialized business parks located adjacent to DP World’s flagship Jebel Ali Port in Dubai. “They want to expand their presence in the West Africa and Brazil,” he said.
Monte also met executives from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, who want to present financing lines to public institutions and governments. In Madagascar, the Group Sipromad showed interest in a project to produce 85,000 eggs a day. Tobacco growing was also in the agenda. According to Monte, minister Al Hashimy, DP World COO Abdullah Al Hashmi, Lisco CEO Mohamed Abdulmalik Elfigih will all be at Brazil Africa Forum to be held by IBRAF on October 31 and November 1st in São Paulo.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
