This Monday (16) in your ANBA Bulletin: Tereza Cristina is touring the Arab world. Together with representatives from the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and a corporate delegation, the minister had a series of appointments in Cairo, Egypt over last weekend. It was announced, for example, that Brazilians broke into Egyptian dairy market. “We have many people interested in supplying dairies to Egypt,” Cristina told National Service Products Organization Animal Production director Fayes Abaza during a breakfast meeting at Brazil’s embassy in Cairo (pictured). Last week, the country got an animal health certification to export milk and dairy products to the North African nation, a market of USD 8 billion per year.

On the other hand, it was announced that Brazilian market opened space for products such as garlic, grapes and oranges from Egypt during a meeting between Cristina and minister Ezz el-Din Abu Steit. The Egyptians want to increase their agriculture sales to Brazil.

And a business seminar that brought together authorities and businesspersons from both countries. On the occasion, the minister talked about Brazilian agriculture sustainable practices and industry’s environmental concerns amid international negative repercussion of the recent forest fires in Amazon. “While striving to increase the yields and quality of its agriculture, Brazil is putting in place mechanisms to protect its environment,” she said.

At the same event, Arab Brazilian Chamber president Rubens Hannun revealed an initiative to establish new nonstop shipping lanes between Brazil and Arab countries. He stressed that the Arab League’s Economic and Social Council will work to develop this project to be done in partnership with the Brazilian institution and the General Union of Chambers - the commerce-oriented arm of the Arab League. “Once this is in place, freight and product costs drop,” Hannun said to the special envoy Isaura Daniel

And Cristina had a meeting with Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit and discussed Brazil’s relations with the Middle East and North Africa nations. “I’ve always liked how Brazil stood in favor of Arab issues,” Gheit said. “We’ll boost our relations,” the minister added.

And this Monday the delegation arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Arab Chamber staff had a meeting with Council of Saudi Chambers CEO Saud Almashari. He stressed that building a rapport between the government of both countries prompt Saudi private sector players to seek doing more business with Brazilians.

Follow us this week to see the full coverage of the minister's visit, which will also pass by Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

And the last story of ANBA series on Syria. The coastal region of Latakia saw not fights during the war started in 2011 but suffered many losses.