BRAZIL |
EU’s Ashton seeking support. Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, is due in Brazil this weekend (4-5 February) as a part of a diplomatic tour in search of international support for the joint EU and US efforts to put stronger pressure on Iran and Syria. The EU and the US efforts have been rejected in China and Russia, and also face scepticism from the likes of Japan and South Korea. In Geneva this week, Ashton said that in Brazil she would focus her efforts on Iran. Brazil’s foreign minister, Antonio Patriota, however, who was also in Geneva, insisted that Brazil will not budge from its stance, which is to reject proposed new unilateral sanctions on Iran. Brazil will also reject any “forceful moves” against the Syrian government, Patriota said, favouring continued dialogue. The US-based NGO Human Rights Watch recently criticised the government led by President Dilma Rousseff for “fence sitting” over the Arab Spring. Brazilian analysts point out that Brazil does not want to jeopardise its growing trade links with the Middle East (see below).
BRAZIL |
Increased trade with Arab countries. The São Paulo-based Arab-Brazil Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) reported on 1 February that trade between Brazil and its 22 Arab country members rose 28.7% year-on-year to reach US$25.13bn in 2011. The balance of trade is favourable to Brazil, which exported merchandise goods valued at US$15.1bn to the region in 2011 (up 20.3% year-on-year), while its imports from Arab countries amounted to US$9.98bn (up a whopping 43.6% year-on-year). The bulk of Brazil’s exports to the region go to five countries: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Oman. Sales are dominated by sugar, meat, minerals and cereals. Brazil takes combustible minerals, fertilizers, salt, sulphur, lime & cement and plastics & derivatives from the region.
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