The President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, inaugurated the activities of the Economic Forum of Brazil & Arab Countries "The Future is Now", which was held virtually and organized by the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Union of Arab Chambers and the League of Arab States. The forum was attended by more than three thousand participants, in addition to a prominent official and economic participation from both, Arab and Brazilian sides, fronted by the Brazilian Economy Minister Paulo Guedes, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani Bahrain's Foreign Minister, Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, UAE Minister of State, Nasser Bourita, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Dr. Khaled Hanafy, the Secretary General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Rubens Hannun, the President of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, and Tamer Mansour, the Secretary General of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber.
The virtual event, which started on Monday, October 19, will continue until next Thursday, October 22, with a plenary session from nine in the morning until 1:30 in the afternoon, noting that the forum includes an exhibition for Arab and Brazilian companies.
President Bolsonaro affirmed that "the relationship today between Brazil and the Arab countries is going through its best state ever," noting that "the rapprochement in the political field has allowed us to find new opportunities for cooperation in strategic sectors, such as the science, technology, innovation, and energy sectors." Pointing out to the intent of the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to invest 10 billion US dollars in Brazilian government funds, and countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait have investments in Brazil, where the value of these investments, which were made individually, ranges between 4 and 5 billion dollars. I am confident that we will double these numbers. On the other hand, about 30 Brazilian companies have commercial offices and production units in the Middle East."
He also stressed the need for talks to discuss establishing Arab partnerships with Brazil in the field of trade and investments, explaining that "even in times of the pandemic, virtual meetings have been doubled, which confirms the mutual interest in strengthening the relations," expressing his belief in the possibility of benefiting from the infrastructure of the Arab Gulf countries in order to diversify and expand the entry of Brazilian products into the Asian markets. Noting that "despite the restrictions imposed by the repercussions of the Coronavirus, we are almost close to reaching the same value of exports that were achieved during the whole past year 2019, which reached at that time $4.9 billion," stressing that "Arabs can rely on the partnership with Brazil in the field of food security and the supply of halal products, those products made in accordance with Sharia and Islamic rules."
He added, "Egypt ranks first for the destination of Brazilian exports to the African continent, and it is the second largest Arab buyer of Brazilian goods, and it has had a free trade agreement with Mercosur since 2017. Whereas Morocco, with which we live today in an exceptional political rapprochement, and which is for us a strategic partner in the agricultural field, being a major supplier of fertilizers, Algeria is also a major supplier from the African continent to Brazil, and the third largest destination for Brazilian exports, preceded by Egypt and South Africa.
Bolsonaro concluded: We commend the roles that Arab immigrants played in shaping the structure of Brazilian society, and from this point of view we are ready to establish new fronts of dialogue and cooperation, aiming to develop regulatory frameworks capable of elevating the Brazilian Arab investments to higher levels than they are now, and for that, be confident that our government is working, and is ready to work at any time to strengthen the Brazilian relations with Arab countries."
Hannun
For his part, President of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber Rubens Hannun said, "The Arab countries are seeking to become, and they are truly transforming, to be a global reference in technology, environmental preservation and sustainable production. Brazil, in turn, will have a more prominent role in the food security of Arab peoples." Pointing out that "there is a lot of potential to create and expand alliances, and that due to the current circumstances, the Arab countries are not major food producers and depend to a large extent on food imports, and Brazil is an important supplier to Arabs in this field, hence the strength of bilateral relations between Brazil and the Arab countries is enormous, and there is still a lot of work to do to make more progress in this regard."
He also affirmed that "Brazil and the Arab countries knew how to implement a set of measures in the economic, commercial and cultural fields that allowed building this future," noting that "the Corona pandemic changed the lives of people, companies and governments in many ways, and for that the world had to reinvent and produce itself," and we at the Arab-Brazilian Chamber entered the world of the digital revolution to keep pace with the changes taking place, and this is evident in the facts of this digital forum.
He added, "Brazilians and Arabs maintain a distinctive bilateral relationship, which is an example to be followed in the world, and therefore there are no barriers and difficulties that cannot be addressed or solved, as our economies are integrated, and this constitutes more than enough reason to establish more coherent and solid partnerships over the foreseeable future and in the future."
Al Zayani
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, delivered a speech in which he stressed that “the Covid-19 pandemic has changed many concepts and beliefs, and left many economic, social and cultural impacts, and stressed that the world is indeed a small village, but the economic impact of the pandemic and the extraordinary measures taken by all countries of the world to contain the virus and eliminate it to preserve the health and safety of people, will be tangible for many years to come."
He pointed out that "this pandemic has reinforced the established fact that we have, which confirms to all of us that true international cooperation and active participation are the only and best way to achieve lasting prosperity in the whole world," stressing that "the world should realize that common prosperity based on common interest and interdependence is the pillar, as the countries of the world seek to overcome the repercussions of this dangerous pandemic, trade and economic cooperation is gaining strategic importance that goes far beyond any individual deal or a specific sector, as this cooperation will be the main engine and motivation for the desired global recovery, and building a framework of growth and trust which ensures that our countries and their people have a bright future of opportunity and hope."
He also stressed that Arab and Brazilian companies will be at the forefront of those willing and eager to seize the opportunities offered by the atmosphere of peace and stability, pointing to the Kingdom of Bahrain's full support for this approach, which would enhance international cooperation in facing various global challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, considering that "despite of the difficult situations facing the countries of the world now due to the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, but we are more convinced than ever that this emergency health crisis should push us to search for ways to increase communication, build stronger networks for cooperation and provide more opportunities between entrepreneurs and companies and the private sector. "
Aboul Gheit
In turn, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, affirmed the depth and strength of economic relations between Arab countries and Brazil, which have strengthened in the last two decades, considering that "despite the change of governments and trends, the existing relations between Arab countries and Brazil remain based on strengthening economic and cultural cooperation and other bonds that bind peoples," noting that "the Arab League strongly supports the strengthening of the existing cooperation with Brazil as an economic power with weight in the G20," noting that the volume of trade exchange between Arab countries and Brazil for the year 2019 reached $12.2 billion which makes the Arab countries collectively the third most important trading partner of Brazil - after China and the United States of America.
Aboul Gheit nooted the important role that the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce plays as a bridge of communication between two large and promising economic blocs, stating that the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce has maintained over decades important trade relations between Arab countries and Brazil, and has been able to maintain those relations, stressing the keenness of the Arab League on communicating with the other, especially friendly countries, considering that "the next stage will witness economic fluctuations that we all touch, and a slowdown in growth that will have effects on the international economy, which is an additional incentive to seize the opportunities provided by this economic forum in order to open unconventional investment horizons for Arab economies and the Brazilian economy."
He added, "there are opportunities for emerging economies to enhance their vitality and presence on the global economic scene, especially for young societies full of human potential and capital, as is the case in the Arab world and Brazil. On this level, it is important to study the weaknesses in the international economic system and the structure of international trade, which was revealed by the Corona pandemic and its consequences, and achieving a strategic partnership in the field of food security may be one of the topics that deserve renewed attention, and there are of course many other topics related to ways to manage trade in times of crisis, the role of technology, and how to enhance the safety of supply chains in times of crisis, and all of them are topics that will enjoy a long and fruitful discussion during the forum sessions.
Hanafy
For his part, Dr. Khaled Hanafy, the Secretary General of the Union of Arab Chambers praised the role played by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in achieving rapprochement and strengthening Arab-Brazilian economic cooperation, appreciating the participation of the President of the Republic of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, in the activities of the forum and his speech at the opening session, which indicates the extent of the Brazilian leadership's keenness to enhance the political, economic, commercial and investment relations between the Arab and Brazilian sides.
Hanafy said that "there is room for expansion and increase of Brazilian-Arab exports, which confirms the need for a direct shipping passage linking those parts of the world," pointing out that "the Union of Arab Chambers in cooperation with its partners in Brazil, especially the Arab-Brazilian Chamber, will not stop working to build strategic partnership relations between Arabs and Brazilians."
He said, "Historically, exports from Brazil to Arab countries are limited to the issue of food, but in view of the existing potentials, there is a big chance to develop and diversify trade."
He also considered that "the existence of a direct shipping lane between Brazil and the Arab countries is vital for expanding businesses, as this route will connect various ports, including one in Tangiers, Morocco, and another in a location that may be in the Gulf."
Hanafy concluded by saying that “the direct shipping lane is a major logistical project for the League of Arab States, the Union of Arab Chambers and the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, and we are about to take a strategic decision regarding the ports in this coming stage, which will include stops in Morocco and the Gulf. From here we must work to reach those markets, and we can never simply be satisfied with exports and imports as they are now, as our horizons must be broadened, and the strategic partnership can greatly enhance economic relations and add value across multiple sectors. By working together on this vital project, we can support small suppliers with a direct transportation system that will benefit everyone.”
Al Sayegh
As for the UAE Minister of State, Ahmed Ali Al-Sayegh, he pointed out that "there is no doubt that the Arab world has strong ties with Brazil, and in this regard the UAE continues to work to improve the relationship with Brazil, which is based on absolute respect."
He stated: "Brazil was the largest partner of the United Arab Emirates in South America in 2019, and there is potential to expand the business significantly, since there are many Brazilians living in the United Arab Emirates, and President Jair Bolsonaro's trip to the country in 2019 showed that the two countries maintain strong and inclusive relationships underpinned by mutual respect and trust."
He also affirmed that "the UAE is an important gateway to the Gulf, with plans to become more than that. It is clear that Brazil and the Arab world have a solid foundation for developing their relations, where we can help each other to reach what we aspire to."
Bourita
Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Nasser Bourita discussed international partnerships and strengthening Morocco's excellent relations with the Brazilian government, revealing that the talks on the free trade agreement between Mercosur and Morocco with Brazil have reached an advanced stage, pointing out that "talks with the Brazilian side are also underway towards bilateral investment in renewable energy and infrastructure, as well as increasing the sales of fertilizers and fish from Morocco to Brazil."
