Santa Catarina State's Federation of Industries (Fiesc) has just launched the Brazilian Trade Mission to the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The release of the event was marked by seminar Doing Business with the Arab Countries, promoted by the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby. The mission, to take place from November 19th to 30th, focuses on the civil construction sector.
"The delegation is turned to the entire building chain, which involves from the engineering to the real estate sectors," said the Industrial Relations director at Fiesc, Henry Quaresma.
According to him, the program includes visits to the largest building sector fair in the Middle East, the Big 5 Show, in Dubai, to great construction sites, to Jebel Ali Free Zone and to the capital of the Emirates, Abu Dhabi.
This should be the fourth mission that the Fiesc promotes to the United Arab Emirates, and the second national one, with the support of the National Confederation of Industries (CNI). The presentation of the mission was transmitted by videoconference to 17 states. In the case of Santa Catarina alone, Quaresma said that foreign sales are on the rise, not just in the building sector, but also in foods.
He mentioned Weg, a maker of electric engines, and Sadia and Perdigão, which are already traditional suppliers to the Arab market and even have offices in the region. "I felt that companies are seeking export alternatives," said the director.
From January to July, exports from the state to the Arab countries totaled US$ 292.25 million, which represented an increase of 26% over the same period last year. Chicken, engines, wood and tobacco were the main products from Santa Catarina state shipped to the Arab market.
According to the coordinator of the Fiesc International Business center, Tatiani Leal, the idea is to take between 50 and 70 businessmen on the mission. "The demand has been surprising. There is great interest by building sector unions in several states," she said. According to her, the Fiesc was also sought by the wood sector, which is interested in participating in the mission.
The mission to the Gulf should also include a visit to works in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. "It is optional," said Tatiani. Fiesc offers three packages to businessmen. One includes just the Big 5 Show, the other, the Emirates and Saudi and the third just the Emirates.
According to Alaby, the building sector in the Arab countries benefits from strategies of the local governments to diversify economic activities so as not to depend exclusively on oil. Investment in the building sector should reach US$ 1.8 trillion in coming years. A large part of the investment should be turned to works and improvements in airports, hotels, business buildings and other infrastructure services.
"This presentation was very important. Businessmen showed great interest," said Alaby, who spoke about the Business opportunities in the building sector in the Gulf. The ambassador of the Emirates to Brazil, Yousuf Al-Usaimi, also participated in the seminar and spoke about the importance of the Arab country in the Gulf.
Service:
Fiesc
Tel.: (+55 48) 3231-4662
Site: www.fiescnet.com.br/cin/golfoarabico
Anba
