Sudanese minister praises Brazilian agriculture
Sudanese minister praises Brazilian agriculture
The minister of Industry of the African country, Ali Ahmed Osman, pointed out the technology used in production of agricultural commodities, poultry and cattle beef and demonstrated interest in promoting a trade mission to Brazil. He met yesterday with the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Michel Alaby.
Marina Sarruf*
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São Paulo – The minister of Industry of Sudan, Ali Ahmed Osman, praised yesterday (30) the technology used in the production of Brazilian agricultural commodities, poultry and cattle beef. According to the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, who met with the minister, he demonstrated interest in promoting a trade mission to Brazil with the support of the organisation. Osman was in Brazil in 2002, when he participated in the Business Forum, in Rio de Janeiro, promoted by the Chamber.
At the meeting, Osman spoke about investment opportunities in Sudan, mainly in oil wells, refineries and oil pipelines. Chinese investment in oil fields in the country, for example, has already reached US$ 10 billion. Another matter discussed was the economic opening process, with privatisations in the industrial sector in general. “The private sector has become a very important partner in the Sudanese economy,” said Alaby.
Sudan, which borders nine African countries, is a great producer of long-, medium- and short-fibre cotton, henna, a product used in the cosmetics sector, urea, which is not yet totally explored in the country, marble and granite, ores and fertilizers. The country also has 140 million heads of cattle, goats and sheep.
To strengthen relations between Brazil and the Arab country, Alaby also met yesterday with the secretary general at the Sudanese Businessmen and Employers Federation, Bakri Yousif Omer, who proposed the establishment of a Brazil-Sudan business council. They also discussed the possibility of the association participating in the organisation of a trade mission to Brazil, proposed by the minister.
The Sudanese organisation represents all private sector associations in the country, which are around 100, among them chambers of commerce, industry, agriculture and handicraft, among others. There are over 2,500 associates.
Alaby also met with the ambassador of Brazil to Sudan, Hélio de Magalhães. Two months ago a definite embassy was established in the country. In March, the embassy will start issuing visas for the Sudanese to visit Brazil, as visas are currently only issued by the Brazilian embassy to Cairo.
Another novelty announced by the ambassador is that the weekend in the country, which was Thursday and Friday, has been changed to Friday and Saturday. Magalhães visited the Arab-Brazilian Chamber stand at Khartoum International Fair, which ends on Friday 1st, and praised Brazilian participation. At the stand, the catalogues of over 10 companies and sector associations are being distributed. Among the sectors represented are furniture, cosmetics, surgery material, food, textiles, agricultural equipment, wood and lighting fixtures.
(http://www.anba.com.br/ingles/noticia.php?id=17257