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A partnership between the government of the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo and the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) is going to help take small and medium companies from the state to the Arab market.
The São Paulo state foreign trade coordinator, Flávio Musa de Freitas Guimarães, and the president of the CCAB, Antonio Sarkis Jr., met yesterday, January 26, to discuss joint participation in fairs in the Arab countries.
"We want to expand the state export base in terms of values, products and companies, especially small and medium," stated Musa.
Participation in exhibitions in the Arab countries will be part of the "Space São Paulo" program, through which the government will sponsor, with the support of private enterprises, the travel of micro, small and medium companies to international fairs and missions.
The CCAB is going to identify, together with the state government, the most appropriate events for companies from the state to participate in.
The objective is to take to the Arab market companies that do not yet do business with the region.
"The idea is to show companies that already export to other countries that the Arab market is good and has potential, and to encourage those who are starting to export to the region," stated the president of the CCAB.
Last year, the state of São Paulo led exports to the Arab countries. Companies from the state of São Paulo had revenues of US$ 1.6 billion with sales to the region, 40% of total country revenues.
"São Paulo has a great export potential," stated Sarkis.
According to information supplied by the state government, the intention is to participate in an event in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, as the site is considered the main commercial center of the region and also a door of entry to other Arab countries.
The state government plans to present products with great potential in state industry, among them shoes, kid's fashion, furniture, decoration objects and medical and dentistry equipment.
Apart from that, the Arab market will also be the theme of export seminars to be promoted in the interior of the state throughout the year.
The talks, followed by business roundtables with Brazilian trading companies, will be organized in partnership with the Federation of Commercial Associations of the State of São Paulo (Facesp) and the São Paulo Chamber of Commerce, the export promotion arm of the São Paulo Trade Association (ACSP).
"The Arab market is known by large companies, but not by micro and small companies," stated Musa.
Currently, 8,400 companies from the state are operating on foreign trade.
The state government, however, intends to increase the number of exporters in the state by at least 50% this year and also keep export revenues rising.
At the end of last year, the state had revenues of US$ 31 billion with international sales. In 2003, revenues totalled US$ 23 billion and in the previous year, US$ 20.1 billion.
ANBA – Brazil-Arab News Agency
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