Nouakchott, Mauritania – The green and yellow flags, banners and pennants make one feel as though they are in some Brazilian countryside town come World Cup time. But the sand-filled streets, the large tunics worn by the men (grands bou bous, in French) and the colourful garments sported by the women leave no question, we are in Africa, more precisely in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, a country located on the continent’s Atlantic coast. The coincidence lies in the colours of the flag, which are the same as Brazil. The streets were decorated to celebrate national independence day, on November 28.
In recent years, Brazilian enterprises have increasingly been seeking business in Africa, but tiny Mauritania, with its population of 3 million, is not on their radars yet. To learn what the country has to offer, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce CEO, Michel Alaby, and ANBA were there this week.
The country is poor, but overflows with hospitality and has an extremely rich underground. Its mineral resources include gold, oil, gas, uranium, kaolin, rock salt, sea salt, phosphate, copper, diamonds, gypsum, cement and iron ore. It is all still a bit underexplored, but foreign companies are taking action to gain access to these riches.
The main export activity in Mauritania is fishery, explored by international companies, mostly European and Japanese. Those who have been to the country’s oceanfront claim you can catch big fish near the beach. Agriculture is not very strong, because the locals boast a shepherding, nomadic tradition, but Brazilians who grow vegetables in their Nouakchott gardens claim the weather causes plants to grow in record time.
“We are rich in natural resources, especially minerals, and we are reaching out to major foreign enterprises,” said the vice president of the Mauritanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohamed Lemine Ould Sidi Mohamed, at a meeting with Alaby and Brazilian ambassador Flávio Rocha. The visit was arranged by the embassy.
Mauritanians have good memories of the work of a Brazilian company. In the 1970s, contractor Mendes Júnior built a 600-kilometre highway in the country. During the visits, the fact was mentioned by three different people on three separate occasions.
Infrastructure is also required and the Chinese are there, as in other African countries. The new building of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, which stands out in the Nouakchott landscape, was entirely built by the Asians using materials imported from China. Even the exit and hydrant signs are written in Chinese. They are also written in French, but no Arabic. Mauritania is a member of the Arab League and a part of the Maghreb, alongside Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.
Building material stores proliferate in the city, after all it is still being erected. Just like Brasília (the Brazilian capital), Nouakchott was founded in 1960 to be the capital. The capital of Brazil, however, grew much more in terms of real estate and infrastructure.
All imported
When it comes to trade, the Mauritanians import everything, and at the meetings attended by Alaby and the ambassador it became clear that there was interest in Brazilian products. The Mauritanian Chamber arranged a meeting with some of the country’s leading businessmen.
Although the Mauritanian market is a small one, the port of Nouakchott supplies other African nations, such as the neighbouring Mali, which has no outlet to the ocean.
Food and pharmaceuticals were the items that businessmen mentioned the most. Some already import sugar from Brazil, but they would also like to buy chicken, meat, milk, vegetable oils, wheat, maize, rice, citrus fruits, juices, morning cereals, coffee, baby food, diapers, cosmetics and even toilet paper.
Some businessmen informed that they already buy from Brazil, though usually via European middlemen. They would like to import directly in order to avoid paying commission. Other issues reported were the lack of maritime lines and the fact that Brazilian banks do not accept credit portfolios from Mauritanian institutions, even though they are accepted by European, Moroccan and Gulf banks.
“The problem is the banks,” said Mohamed Abdellah Haibetty, of the MOA company, who is interested in importing foodstuffs and also operates in real estate. A plastics industry businessman, complained that he would like to import Brazilian raw material, but is unable to get a reply from the petrochemical company he decided to hire.
“There is a lack of knowledge regarding the Brazilian market structure,” said the Mauritanian Chamber secretary general, Wane Abdoul Aziz. “Personal contact is the most important thing,” he said.
In addition to the meeting at the Chamber, Alaby attended a separate meeting with businessmen and visited some enterprises, such as Groupe Chingitty Pharma, which imports and distributes pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and others, Groupe Wafa, a food importing company, and the Mauri Center supermarket. In the latter, managing director Mohamed Ould Sidi Mohamed, the brother of the Chamber’s vice president, expressed his intention of importing all sorts of supermarket items. He placed special emphasis on dietetics, which are very hard to find in the country.
Mahfoudh Ahmed, of the Maoa company, also spoke of opportunities in public works. He said, for instance, that up until late December the government is accepting bids for a contract to build an power plant.
At a meeting with Alaby and the ambassador, the secretary general of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development added that the government is implementing “an ambitious program” to develop infrastructure, human and natural resources.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
