Marli Moreira
Reporter Agência Brasil

São Paulo - The delegation of businessmen and authorities from Tunísia, led by Foreign Minister, Abdelwaheb Abdallah, seeks to expand trade relations with Brazil. The visit is part of Brazil's efforts to strengthen ties with the Arab world and other developing nations. It follows last year's Arab - South American Summit. In 2004, regional trade with the Arab world reached US$8.2 billion. In 2005, it rose to US$10.5 billion.

According to Antonio Sarkis, the president of the Arab-Brazil Chamber of Commerce, among other things, the Tunisians are studying the possibility of packaging their famous olives in Brazil. They are also interested in continuing purchases of farm produce, such as coffee and sugar, but seek to diversify their imports. Sarkis reports that they imported some 2,000 different items for construction in 2005. "They are doing a lot of building and need material. There is also the chance of specially skilled Brazilian workers being hired for construction projects in Arab countries," he says.

The twenty-two members of the Arab League are the fifth biggest importers of Brazilian goods worldwide. Saudi Arabia imported US$1.2 billion from Brazil, Egypt imported US$868 million, the Arab Emirates imported US$728 million, Moroccos US$414 million and Algeria US$384 million.

Translation: Allen Bennett