Brazil, The Great Partner in Food Security for 420 Million Arabs, Strengthens Ties as Arab-Brazilian Trade Relations Increase by 45%, Surpassing R$ 130 Billion!

Brazil Has An Immeasurable Importance For Arabs Because It Is A Gateway To Latin America.

The current economic and health crisis was highlighted in the speech of Arab authorities who attended the 4th Brazil-Arab Countries Forum on July 4 in São Paulo. Hossam Zaki, Deputy Secretary-General of the Arab League, emphasized that the moment the world is still going through has increased the level of challenges and, at the same time, created new opportunities, such as the Ukraine War. According to him, the scenario has created a gap in wheat supply and more countries have been sought for partnerships.

“Arabs and Brazilians can and must take advantage of the current context and propose opportunities for both to expand their businesses. It’s interesting to note that, even in difficult years, the Arab-Brazilian trade relationship reached 24 billion dollars, an increase of almost 45% compared to the numbers from 2019 and 2020,” Zaki said.

Exports To Arab Countries Exceeded U$14 Billion And Imports Almost Reached U$10 Billion.

In fact, exports to Arab countries exceeded U$14 billion and imports almost reached U$10 billion. “These numbers prove the strength of the economic relations between Brazil and the Arab countries, whether with products and services we provide or that they provide to us, such as commodities, halal proteins, the textile industry, inputs like fertilizers, and many others. It is essential to take advantage of all opportunities to elevate our partnership to the highest levels of excellence,” Zaki added.

Youssef Hassan Khalawi, Secretary-General of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, reflected on the theme of this edition, `Legacy and Innovation`, stating that coexistence between peoples did not begin only with the immigration of Arabs to Brazil. “History books already mentioned the crossing of the ‘sea of darkness’ [Atlantic Ocean] with the arrival of the Phoenicians before Christ on Brazilian shores. So, there has always been this presence of Arabs, their customs, traditions, and fair trade for both parties. All of this composes this relationship of mutual admiration.”

Khalawi stated that Brazil is a major partner in the food security of 420 million Arabs and that they are building an even closer, dynamic, and strategic relationship. Among the advances, he mentioned the Easy Trade document dispatch module from the Arab Chamber, which allows for the validation of cargo documents digitally, without paper, and in a previously unthinkable timeframe of two days. “Less bureaucracy, more advantages for everyone. We are also pleased to see the opening of regional offices [of the Arab Chamber] in key cities such as Brasília, Itajaí, Dubai, Cairo, and soon, possibly, in Riyadh,” he added.

Arabs And Brazilians Can And Must Benefit From The Current Context And Propose Opportunities For Both To Expand Their Businesses.

Sameer Abdulla Nass, President of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized the need for direct shipping lines between Brazil and the Arab world for even more effective trade that adds value to investors and exporters. “Brazil has an immeasurable importance for us because it is a gateway to Latin America. We are confident that all negotiations around better shipping lines will elevate our relationship to commercially unimaginable levels,” he stated.

For Nass, crises should be seen as multiple opportunities in various sectors. “It is necessary for us to work very hard, in the same language and direction. The greater our cooperation to achieve important advances, such as maritime, the better the companies’ decisions regarding investments and commercial integration in the coming years.”