(MENAFN- Brazil-Arab News Agency (ANBA))
Cairo – The regional office of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) in Cairo discussed forms of cooperation with the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce to facilitate the flow of trade between Egypt, Syria, and Brazil .
The meeting was attended by the secretary-general & CEO of the ABCC, Tamer Mansour, the general director of the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce, Mohamed Firas Jijakli , and executives from the ABCC's office in Cairo, regional director Michael Gamal, and director of International and Governmental Relations, Rania Hagrass.
Mansour said the ABCC is led by many Syrian businesspeople or those of Syrian descent living in Brazil, and the Syrian crisis has already cooled down, with economic and commercial normality expected to return in a short time.
According to him, the ABCC seeks to play an influential role in the development of economic relations between Syria and Brazil, on the one hand, and Syria and Egypt, on the other, in addition to providing assistance and opening a communication channel with Syrian businesspeople in Egypt, especially since they have successful and large-scale projects in the country. Mansour pointed out the ABCC can play a fundamental role in the reconstruction of Syria, and Brazil can contribute to developing the country's agricultural sector and importing Syrian goods
Meeting took place in the Cairo office
“We seek to return to normal commercial and economic life, resuming commercial exchange between Syria and all countries in the world, especially neighboring Arab countries, led by Egypt. We also seek to benefit from the Brazilian experience in many areas,” said Jijakli.
He stated there are great opportunities for Egyptian and Brazilian companies in reconstruction projects, infrastructure, and transport, among others, in Syria, and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Syria can contribute to bringing together and creating forms of cooperation between businesspeople in Egypt and the Levant region.
Jijakli added the federation has strong ties with Syrian businesspeople based in Egypt, so they can connect with the ABCC to benefit from its services and export products to the Brazilian market. Through Syria, Brazilian production can be distributed to markets in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and the country itself, according to the executive.
Gamal reinforced Egypt can be a hub to export Syrian products and facilitate their entry into the Brazilian market. According to him, by adding local components to these products and adding value to them, items could be exported, thus benefiting from the same customs exemptions granted to Egyptian products, as established in the free trade agreement between Egypt and Mercosur.
According to Gamal, exports from Egypt to Brazil grew from USD 120 million in 2017, with the entry into force of the agreement with Mercosur, to USD 720 million in 2022. He said that around 4,000 customs items benefit from the waiver of tariffs.
According to the executive, there are promising opportunities for Syrian products, whether produced in Egypt or Syria, to enter the Brazilian market, mainly textiles and olive oil. Brazilian companies could also enter the Syrian market, whether in construction and reconstruction or agricultural technology segments, which are highlights of Brazil, suggested Gamal.
Translated by Georgette Merkhan & Elúsio Brasileiro
Omar Assi/ANBA
Omar Assi/ANBA
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