(MENAFN- Brazil-Arab News Agency (ANBA))
São Paulo – The Palestinian production spans multiple industries, and the country wants to attract investments from Brazil. Palestinian authorities presented the country as an investment destination in the Brazil-Palestine Business Seminar that took place online on Wednesday (23) and got some 400 viewers. The deputy assistant for Trade, Industry and Consumer Protection at the Palestinian Ministry of Economy, Manal Dasouqi, delved into the topic.
Dasouqi talked about attracting investments
Dasouqi said that Palestine's Ministry of Economy had made several changes to provide for a suitable investment climate in the country. ''We''re ready to make it easier for Brazilian companies to invest in the countries for the common good of both parties,'' she said. Dasouqi told that, despite its size, the Palestinian economy is attractive to investors and is a gateway for other Arab and Islamic countries that it has agreements with.
The CEO of the Palestinian Investment Promotion and Industrial Estates Agency, Haytham Wahide, mentioned a series of features of the nation that are interesting for investors such as the strong relations with Arab and Islamic countries, the opportunities in infrastructure, the legislation that protects foreign investments and profits, and a free zone. ''We want joint projects to build industrial areas, megaprojects, and free zones,'' Wahide said.
Dasouqi also talked about the desire to strengthen the trade between Brazil and Palestine, which is below ideal. ''We want to create appropriate mechanisms to tackle the challenges that prevent our bilateral trade to grow,'' said the representative of the Ministry of Economy, proposing the organization of several seminars and forums to support the cooperation in the private sector.
Candeas: Exports are too concentrated
The Brazilian representative to the State of Palestine, Alessandro Candeas, emphasized that the seminar was born precisely from a desire to diversify and deepen Brazil-Palestine ties, which are currently focused on politics, and extend it to the commercial and investment agenda. The diplomat believes the bilateral trade is now structurally disbalanced, as Brazil sells thirty times more to Palestine than Palestinians sell Brazil.
Due to the pandemic, last year's trade was atypical, but Brazil exported USD 30 million worth in products to the Palestinians, while Palestine sold Brazilians just something between USD 500,000 and USD 900,000, Candeas said. According to him, products are also too concentrated, with Palestinians sending Brazil mostly fruits and nuts and Brazilians supplying meats, coffee and candies to the Palestinians.
The Brazilian ambassador said that for trade to grow, businesspeople should have a better understanding of each other's market, business opportunities, and export barriers. Candeas announced that, in addition to this seminar, a series of B2B events will take place across several industries such as tourism, ceramics, glass, stones and marble, clothing, fashion, metals, plastics, handicrafts, and candies. This Wednesday's online event delved into the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Business, support and friendship
Chohfi: Agreement with Mercosur to further develop the relations
Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) president Osmar Chohfi said that he expects Brazil-Palestine relations to further develop with the implementation of the Mercosur-Palestine Free Trade Agreement, which has been in talks. ''We hope that it can reduce barriers to the foreign trade, cut down the price of raw materials and consequently the price paid to the end consumer. We also intend to increase trade and tourism and diversify the goods exported from both parties,'' he said.
Chohfi pointed out that Palestine currently faces many challenges and it's important to strength the ties for a constructive, mutually profitable cooperation. ''Stability, security and peace will certainly bring economic benefits and wellbeing,'' he said. Chohfi said that looking forward to the future with optimism, the ABCC sees opportunities in Brazil-Palestine relations.
Alzeben: Palestine experiences economic miracle
Palestine's ambassador in Brazil, Ibrahim Alzeben, who's also the dean of the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Brazil, said the Arab nation has a unique experience of economic miracle, mentioning the fierceness of the population in the face of the attempts to eliminate their economy and their existence. ''It is a miracle to be able to resist and survive and develop a healthy economy,'' he said.
Alzeben made beautiful, touching introductions between Palestinian and Brazilian businesspeople. ''I assure you that you''re working with friendly people. Brazil has a people that love life and love Palestine,'' he told the Palestinians. ''My dear Brazilian friends, you have found a people that loves you, loves Brazil and respects you,'' he said about the Palestinians. On the prospect of increasing trade and cooperation, the ambassador said that the seminar has blazed a new, promising trail for Brazil-Palestine relations.
Palestinian embroidery
To help illustrate the possibilities for the countries'' trade, Brazil's ambassador Candeas used a tie in the seminar that he had commissioned especially for the occasion with a Palestinian embroidery made by Brazil's Jamila Abed, who lives in the Arab country. ''This is just an example of how the Brazilian market can access high-quality, traditional products, many of which have an age-old tradition of refinement and high standards,'' said Candeas.
During the seminar, the representative of the Palestinian Ministry of Economy thanked Brazil for its support to Palestine, ''We greatly appreciate the Brazilian government for the political support by recognizing the State of Palestine,'' Dasouqi said. Brazil is one of the countries that recognizes the existence of Palestine as a state with the 1967 borders.
Seminar
The seminar also featured other representatives of the public and private sectors of Brazil and Palestine. Talks were moderated by ABCC executives: secretary-general Tamer Mansour, New Business director Daniella Leite, and Marketing & Content director Silvana Gomes. The online event was held by the ABCC in partnership with Palestine's Ministry of Economy, Palestine's Embassy in Brazil, and the Representative Office Of Brazil in Ramallah.
Here's more on the seminar:
Palestine exports pharmaceuticals and food
Watch the full event:
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
The post Palestine wants to attract Brazilian investment appeared first on Agência de Notícias Brasil-Árabe .
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