The Brazilian Minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim, Monday, June 27, went to the capital of Colombia where he opened the 2nd Brazil-Colombia Trade and Investments Entrepreneurial Meeting.
More than eighty Brazilian entrepreneurs were on hand to discuss trade expansion opportunities, chiefly in the footwear, clothing, and infrastructure sectors. Trade between the two countries amounted to US$ 1.2 billion last year.
Amorim, who is representing President Lula in Bogota, will sign cooperation agreements in agriculture, exchanges between the two countries’ diplomatic institutes, and for instruction in Portuguese in the cities of Letícia and Tabatinga, which are located on the border of the two countries.
The Brazil-Colombia Entrepreneurial Meeting is part of the Competitive Import-Substitution Program (PSCI), by which the Brazilian government is seeking to stimulate trade in South America.
According to secretary Almir Nascimento, of the Ministry of Foreign Relations’ Trade Promotion Division, the Program is “a business facilitator.” “
We make it easy for South American entrepreneurs to obtain information that will help them export more to Brazil.”
Three categories of Brazilian entrepreneurs are attending the meeting: exporters, including representatives of the construction, footwear, and clothing sectors; importers, made up of legal entities that already import Colombian products; and potential investors from Brazil.
In the opinion of secretary Nascimento, trade between the two countries could expand around 30% over the next six months.
ABr – www.radiobras.gov.br