Flavio Rocha, Minister of Strategic Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil, said that Brazil enjoys strong strategic relations with Egypt.
Rocha mentioned that the Egyptian Brazilian relations are witnessing remarkable progress, after the pandemic stage, especially in the areas of trade exchange, food security, and health security.
His remarks came during a press conference held on the sidelines of his visit to Egypt, heading a large private sector delegation from Brazil.
“What we came here to do, was to just convey a message from our President, that Brazil is open for any initiative not only in any field of activity, but of course also in investments from your country. We are eager to invest here and to trade with Egypt but in a strategic exchange partnership,” Rocha added.
He invited Egyptian businessmen to pump their investments into his country, pointing out that his country’s government is currently working on drafting laws to facilitate the investment climate for Brazilian and foreign companies.
Talking about his visit to Egypt, Minister of Strategic Affairs said that he met with the Head of the Arab organization for Industrialization and Egypt`s minster of military production, where they signed a cooperation protocols, in addition he met with the Secretary General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and then had also a productive and interesting discussion with National Security Adviser Fayza Abo el-Naga.
He explained that all the meetings were not aimed at selling Brazilian products to Egypt, but rather to hold joint projects between the two parties.
Rocha stressed the desire to enhance all aspects of cooperation and open new horizons for partnership in all areas of research and development.
The Brazilian Minister of Strategic Affairs explained that his country seeks to build a strategic partnership with Egypt, to enhance trade exchange between the two countries, benefit from the free trade agreement signed by Egypt with the Mercosur, and increase cooperation to reach joint manufacturing that will benefit both countries.
Notably, Egypt was the third largest trading partner of Brazil in the Arab region, but thanks to the growth of bilateral relations during the past months, Egypt advanced to become the first trading partner of Brazil among Arab countries, with a trade volume of nearly $2.6bn.
Rocha explained that Egypt can be Brazil’s gateway to the African market, and Brazil can be Egypt’s gateway to Latin American countries.
He explained that there are promising opportunities for cooperation with the Egyptian side in the field of food security.
Rocha explained further that Brazil enjoys food crops that Egypt can export; on the other hand, Egypt has great potential in the field of fertilizer production, pointing out that the Secretary of Strategic Affairs at the Brazilian National Fertilizer Council seeks to attract fertilizer companies.
The Minister explained that there is a possibility of cooperation with the Egyptian side in the fields of new and renewable solar energy, furniture, agricultural manufacturing, and communications and information technology.
He pointed out that there are great opportunities for Egyptian companies in the field of sea water desalination in the northeastern region, explaining that Brazil is a country with an area of about 8.5 million meters, located on the coastal strip with a length of 8,000 km and owns about 5.2 million square metres of water.
Rocha mentioned that his country is keen in strengthening its cooperation with the Arab countries, targeting to have the trade exchange between Brazil and Arab countries reach $40bn by the end of the current year 2022.
He said that as part of his country`s interest in strengthening joint cooperation with Arab countries he is on a tour to nine Arab countries, where he visited Morocco, and currently visiting Egypt, then he will visit Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Rocha pointed out that there are about 10 million Arabs in Brazil.
