Dubai – The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has confirmed to ANBA this Tuesday (25th) that it plans on opening an office in São Paulo in a bid to help its 150,000 member companies invest in yet under-tapped markets. According to the DCCI Commercial Services Department senior director, Atiq Juma Faraj Nasib, the organization plans on opening offices in countries that may become major partners with Dubai-based companies, and the bureau in São Paulo is “on the radar.”
This Tuesday (25th), at the DCCI headquarters in Dubai, Nasib welcomed the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce CEO, Michel Alaby, Institutional Relations director, Silvio Abdalla, and Gulf director, Mohamad Abdouni. There is no set date for the opening of the office in São Paulo.
“Africa is our primary target right now. After that we will move onto other regions. Why leave Dubai? We have many members and the local market is already saturated. We must find new opportunities. Thus, we are moving into markets that can offer the type of product we need, products we can import. We are also looking to gather information and conduct studies on other regions for our members. There are plenty of opportunities in South and Central America, especially in Brazil, which is a food supplier, with quality beef and poultry, and which is also a competitive country,” said Nasib.
According to the DCCI press office, the chapter in São Paulo will provide a facility for Dubai-based enterprises to arrange meetings with potential local partners, as well as promotional meetings.
The office will also be used for promoting Dubai as an international business hub, and to publicize the DCCI’s services and initiatives. the organization has informed that it hopes its Brazilian office will result in foreign direct investment being made in the emirate.
Last Sunday (23rd), the Foreign Trade undersecretary to the Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah Saleh, had already told the Arab Brazilian Chamber directors that the Gulf country is looking to increase business and investment with South American countries. On Monday (24th), the Emirati minister of Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, confirmed that the emir of Dubai, Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is visiting Brazil and other South American countries in April.
At the meeting this Tuesday, Alaby and the DCCI delegate also discussed allowing mutual access to the two commerce chambers’ databanks, so the members of both can find details about other members. It will be a way to promote bilateral trade and information exchange between companies from Brazil and Dubai.
They also discussed implementing an exchange program between the two organizations. The idea is to have Arab Brazilian Chamber members spend a month at the DCCI headquarters and vice versa, so they can learn about the business environment, daily activities, and document issuance procedures.
Sharjah
Shared databank and exchange program proposals were also discussed with delegates from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who welcomed the Arab Brazilian Chamber directors this Tuesday in Dubai’s neighbouring emirate. On Monday (24th), Alaby also proposed setting up an exchange program with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
During the meeting this Tuesday (25th), the vice president of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Saeed Obaid Al Jarwan, and its director general, Hussain Mohamed Mahmoudi, invited Alaby to attend a seminar due in late March. They want to have a Brazilian lecturer speak at the event on major business opportunities with the country.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
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