The UAE-Brazil Business Council held its inaugural meeting in Sao Paulo on the sidelines of the G20 Business Summit (B20), in a bid to bolster economic cooperation between the UAE and Brazil. Discussions focused on advancing UAE-Brazil trade and investment by identifying key avenues for collaboration in sectors including clean energy, manufacturing, sustainable agriculture, and technology.
UAE’s strategic advantages for business
The UAE-Brazil Business Council meeting highlighted the UAE’s strategic advantages as a dynamic business hub and commercial gateway to Asia and Africa, leveraging its prime location, world-class infrastructure, and investor-friendly regulatory environment to support growth and cross-border expansion. By aligning the two countries’ mutual priorities, the council aims to forge impactful partnerships that will drive trade flows and stimulate investment. Moreover, it aims to unlock mutually beneficial opportunities for economic cooperation.
Present at the meeting were Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Saleh Ahmed Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador to Brazil, and Juma Al Kait, Assistant Undersecretary for International Trade at the Ministry of Economy. A high-level UAE delegation that included senior officials and business leaders also participated alongside representatives from several of Brazil’s largest companies.
Dr. Mohamed Asaad Taher, head of business development (MENA) at Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company – Masdar, co-chaired the meeting, representing the UAE side. Meanwhile, Dr. Jefferson de Oliveira Gomes, director of Technology and Innovation at Confederacao Nacional da Industria (CNI), represented Brazil also as co-chair.
Collaboration in key sectors
In his opening remarks, Dr. Taher said that the UAE-Brazil Business Council builds a vital platform for deepening economic ties and unlocking new opportunities for collaboration in strategically important sectors.
“I commend the council members for their commitment to expanding cooperation and creating valuable business prospects in both the UAE and Brazil. We look forward to working closely with our Brazilian partners to achieve impactful results that will strengthen trade and create mutual investment opportunities,” he added.
For his part, Dr. Gomes noted that the UAE-Brazil Business Council’s inaugural meeting marks a new commitment to the expanding strategic partnership between the UAE and Brazil across several sectors of mutual interest. “Through the council, we aim to strengthen trade and investment integration and establish new bridges of cooperation, especially in areas where both countries hold a strong competitive advantage,” he added.
The council concluded with a commitment to regular, strategic meetings to monitor the implementation of joint initiatives and reinforce economic ties. Key outcomes emphasized leveraging emerging opportunities to drive sustainable growth and expand market access for businesses in both nations.
Read: UAE President engages with world leaders on trade and development at BRICS Summit
Growing UAE-Brazil trade ties
Trade ties between the UAE and Brazil have seen consistent growth in recent years. Non-oil bilateral trade reached $2.64 billion in the first half of 2024, marking an 18.2 percent increase over the same period in 2023 and 53.9 percent growth compared to 2019.
Today, Brazil stands as the UAE’s largest trading partner in Latin America and second in the Americas, following the United States.
The UAE delegation at the business council included 12 representatives from government entities and private sector companies. Participants covered high-growth fields such as investment, renewable energy, logistics, special economic zones, defense, sports, and food production.
For more news on logistics, click here.
