Brazil’s Paraná State Emulates UAE To Be A Logistics Hub: Governor

By Binsal Abdulkader ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 15th Oct, 2021) Paraná state of Brazil, the fourth largest economy in the country with over a million population, is emulating the United Arab Emirates to become a logistics hub, the state’s governor told Emirates news Agency (WAM).

Carlos Roberto Massa Ratinho Junior, who is on a working visit to the UAE with a large business delegation, said, "We are working hard to become a logistics hub like the UAE, for our country – in southern region of Brazil."

In an exclusive interview with WAM in Abu Dhabi, the governor said the economic relations between his state and the UAE are on an upswing, revealing that negotiations on a US$100-million deal to buy fertilisers from the UAE are in final stage. The deal is likely to be closed this week, he added.

At present, the UAE is Paraná’s 16th largest trade partner with the total bilateral trade during the first nine months of this year was amounting to US$359.16 million, Ratinho Junior said. Exports to UAE stood at US$221.76 million and imports from the UAE were to the tune of about US$137.4 million.

Main exports to UAE during the same period were poultry (meat and offal), which constituted 67.7 percent of the total exports, chemical wood pulps (9.98 percent), gold (2.81 percent), and sugar (2.2 percent), the official explained.

Main imports from UAE were oil, petroleum products and related materials, and fertilisers, which constituted 89 percent of the total imports, added the governor who is visiting the UAE with a delegation of 200 businesspersons from Paraná.

Ratinho Junior said he was very much impressed by the development of the UAE, especially in infrastructure and tourism sectors.

"This is my second visit to the UAE. I visited it in 2012 but only spent two and a half days and I was impressed about how fast the development is happening in this area, especially how all seven Emirates have come together in developing tourism - in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the other emirates."

During the 11-day visit to the UAE, the business delegation led by the governor will be meeting with government officials and business executives.

They visited Expo 2020 Dubai and witnessed the special section at Brazil Pavilion, which displays the attractions of Paraná.

"The Expo is an opportunity to showcase the opportunities that our state offers not only to the UAE but also to the entire world," Ratinho Junior said.

He met at Expo with Dr. Ali bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, First Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to discuss the prospects of trade and investment cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Parana.

During the meeting, Al Dhaheri pointed out that Brazil is one of the key trade partners for Abu Dhabi and the UAE and that the economic capabilities of both countries allow businesses to start joint ventures as well as help increase Emirati investments in Brazil, especially in Parana, as it is among the richest cities in the South American country.

Following the meeting, the two sides held business-to-business matchmaking sessions between Brazilian and Emirati businesspersons.