Brazilian businessmen seek to attract investments from the United Arab Emirates

In an attempt to attract investments, Brazilian businessmen took part today (Oct. 17) in the First Brazil-United Arab Emirates Encounter, in Abu Dhabi. During the event, organized by the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI), the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) and the Brazilian Embassy at United Arab Emirates, entrepreneurs provided an overview of the economic scenario in Brazil and presented business opportunities.

According to CNI, between 2003 and 2016, the United Arab Emirates invested US$ 290,2 billions all over the world and created 473 thousand new jobs. Nonetheless, Brazil attracted not more than US$ 1,5 billion investments and created 2.579 jobs as a result.

Director for Industrial Development at CNI, Carlos Abijaodi presented 24 business opportunities to Arab executives, selected by industry associations from Brazil.

“We really need to get out of Brazil and come with the message that the country has potential and provides conditions for good investments, with opportunities both for small and big projects, such as concessions and privatizations,” he said.

The head of CNI, Robson Braga de Andrade, highlighted the signs of economic revival in Brazil. “Inflation and interest rates in Brazil are lowering, providing an appropriate environment for new investments, especially in output and commerce of goods and services. The economic recovery has already reached the job market. With the inflation decrease, spending power increases and the recovery trend is boosted”, he stressed.

The Brazilian ambassador for the United Arab Emirates, Fernando Igreja, and Marco Aurélio Frantz, a representative for Banco do Brasil (major Brazilian public bank which keeps an office in Dubai), were also at the event. Both talked to Arab entrepreneurs about Brazil's economic recovery and business opportunities.

The Brazilian businessmen are in Abu Dabhi to accompany a delegation of 56 students and former students from the National Service for Industrial Training (Senai) and the National Service for Commercial Education (Senac), who take part in WorldSkills, the world's biggest competition in professional education.

More than 1.200 competitors from 68 countries took part in the games that reproduce the routine of 52 technical occupations. Brazil is the current champion of the competition, with 27 medals achieved in the last edition, that happened in 2015 in São Paulo.

Translated by Mariana Branco.