Head of International Office of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rafael Solimeo
Doha: The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) recently organised several training sessions for Brazilian startups to learn about the innovation ecosystems of Qatar and other Gulf countries which resulted on a positive note.
Head of International Office of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rafael Solimeo, during his visit to Qatar, promoted several delegations of Brazilian startups and met officials from Qatar Chamber to discuss investment opportunities benefiting both countries.
In an exclusive interview with The Peninsula, Solimeo said, “This experience yielded a very positive review, as it rendered contacts and the prospect of bilateral investments by Brazilian companies in Qatar and Qatari companies in Brazil.”
Stressing that the Latin American country has a much-enhanced startup ecosystem, Solimeo said Brazil transformed its potential in agricultural production and its ecosystems into structured businesses.
Speaking on the importance of implementing such technologies, he said: “The Arab countries want to expand their own food production. For that, they need technologies to overcome the hardships of the desert climate and arid soil, which could be jointly developed between Qatari and Brazilian institutions.”
Outlining the leading role played by the GCC and Arab countries in decarbonising the global economy, Solimeo said that it is doable by collaborating with Brazilian firms in the region including generating carbon credits and conducting scientific research on biodiversity.
“The Arab countries also have resources in their private and sovereign funds to facilitate projects of common interest, not only in the environmental, food, and technology areas but also in infrastructure, logistics, and clean energy, in line with the development projects Qatar and Brazil are proposing in this century,” he said.
Brazil emerged as a food exporting power in the 1970s as it uncovered how to rectify the deficiencies of its soil, developed cultivars adapted to the characteristics of its many climates, and learned how insects and bacteria from its fauna could be used to combat pests in crops.
“Brazil had to develop these technological solutions itself before becoming a major food exporter. So I think there is a great opportunity here in Qatar.” As a driving force to encourage unique initiatives and activities for Brazilian companies to invest in Qatar and the GCC market, ABCC strives to create a wide range of opportunities in the region.
Solimeo added: “In addition to the activities of the Halal Brazil project, headed by the Arab Brazilian Chamber and the development agency ApexBrasil, we have a regular calendar of business missions with companies from different sectors to learn about investment opportunities in Qatar.
"We recently had a startup mission. Before that, we organised a food company’s mission. We are constantly sought after by companies already operating in other Gulf countries to develop specific prospects for Qatar.”
