This Friday (12) in your ANBA Bulletin, Brazilian participation in the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) surpassed all expectations. The conference on foreign direct investment happened this week in Dubai, the UAE featuring a delegation of 11 Brazilian agribusiness executives, organized by Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture (pictured). The acting director to the Ministry's International Promotion Department, Rodrigo Da Matta, said investor interest in the projects presented by the companies was greater than expected. “It was better than expected. Whenever you think of the UAE, you get the impression that all they care about are big projects, but we realized they’re also interested in projects in the USD 10 million-50 million range. We had people from several funds here, and they were definitely interested,” he told ANBA's Thais Sousa, who's reporting from Dubai. 

And for the forum's closing panel, the director of the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communication's Broadband Department, Artur Coimbra Oliveira, said opportunities are in place to invest in data centers in Brazil, and the administration is discussing a plan to facilitate licensing for deals. “Brazil has good numbers in telecommunications. Over 90% of our cities, for example, have access to 4G. However, when it comes to data centers, there is still a lack,” said Oliveira. The AIM relied on support from the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and a media partnership with ANBA.

And president Jair Bolsonaro had dinner on Wednesday (10) with diplomats from 37 Islamic countries, including Arab ones. Arab Chamber president Rubens Hannun, who was in attendance, said the groundwork was laid for dialogue, although the “discomfort” from the government's overtures to Israel is still in place. “These contacts [during dinner] sparked a conversation and left the doors open for further dialogue down the way,” he said.

And publishing house Zahle will launch Marta Tajra's book Brimos – História da Imigração Árabe para o Brasil Saturday, 4pm at the Syrian Sports Club in São Paulo.