The inaugural edition of Brasil Trade Middle East, the multi-industry trade event organized by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brazil), recorded USD 52 million in deals either closed during the event or to be consummated within the next 12 months. There were also around 560 key business meetings held during the three-day trade fair .
Aside from the solid figures, organizers noted that the event also led to highly productive meetings between Brazilian companies and representatives of countries such as Kenya, Sudan and Iraq. There were also calls to increase Brazilian exports of halal food in the region, especially as Brazil is one of the top producers of chicken and beef in the world. The South American country is a popular source of halal food items which are certified by Cibal Halal, the Brazilian Islamic Centre for Halal Food Stuff Association.
“Brasil Trade Middle East underscored the need to heighten trade relations between Brasil and the Arab region, especially as we are witnessing signs of a steady shift towards global economic recovery. As the host country, the UAE in particular was highly receptive to enhanced commercial partnerships with Brasil. The overwhelming response to the event in terms of exhibitor participation, footfall and negotiated deals reflects a growing need for Brazil and the Middle East to engage in focused dialogues on how to improve their strategic position within their bilateral frameworks and across the global markets,” said Mauricio Borges, Business Director of Apex-Brazil
Brazil, the largest country in South America and among the world’s top 10 largest economies, is one of the Gulf’s major trade partners. Brazil’s exports of food and beverages to the group of countries comprising Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Oman in the first quarter of 2010 totaled more than USD 552 million, while the exports of construction materials amounted to more than USD 20 million.
