Seven hundred additional Brazilians will move to Qatar, in the Middle East, by March next year. They will join 339 others who are already living in the country. The information was supplied by the business attaché at the Brazilian embassy in Doha, Rolemberg Estevão de Souza.
According to the diplomat, those new citizens are going to work in the aviation sector, as Qatar Airways, the Arab country's airline, intends to inaugurate a direct flight between Doha and the southeastern Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro next year.
Most of the Brazilians that are already living in the country are either working in the aviation sector, as pilots or flight attendants, or in football. According to Souza, there are Brazilian professionals working in the country's oil and gas sector as well.
However, says the diplomat, those people came by means of companies from the United States. The business attaché at the embassy explains that Qatar wants and needs to receive Brazilian professionals. "Qatar suffers from a shortage of human resources," he claims.
Souza received requests from the Qatari Ministry of Telecommunications for information technology professionals from Brazil. There is also a large demand, according to him, for efficient engineers.
In order to work in the Arab country, he says, one must speak fluent English -Â if the person also speaks Arabic, so much the better -Â and be qualified. "Qatar is the home to English-speaking Brazilians. Qatar and the Gulf might be the future for skilled Brazilian workers," he claims.
The intention of the Arab country, according to Souza, is to bring in professionals of excellence. The business attaché claims that the Brazilians are very well accepted in Qatar. According to Souza, the local population enjoys the Brazilian way of being, a term that he uses to describe the fraternal way in which Brazilians relate to others.
"The peace and love culture that exists in Brazil," says the diplomat. That which is in excess in Brazil, according to Souza, namely human resources, is lacking Qatar. On the other hand, that which is lacking in Brazil, financial resources, is abundant in Qatar, he claims.
Qatar has a native population of only 200,000 people, and has been seeking to bring foreign educational institutions into the country, so as to offer the best in global training for its citizens. The Brazilian business attaché in Qatar wants to establish a study center for the Portuguese language at the University of Qatar.
Investment
Businessmen from Qatar have invested US$ 60 billion abroad over the last two years. Now they should also start investing their money in Brazil. At least, this is what Mohammed Ahmed Al-Kuwari, a member of the Executive Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Qatar, said after meeting with a Brazilian trade delegation.
Al-Kuwari and local importers met with representatives of 19 Brazilian companies and building sector organizations at the Chamber's offices. The group is visiting the Gulf on a mission promoted by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) and the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
"We have good relations with Brazil. The time to invest in Brazil is coming. The country is very important, it has tourism, industry, commodities, services…" said Al-Kuwari.
According to him, Qatar invests in some 50 countries. "Where there are good opportunities," he said. Al-Kuwari welcomed to Qatar the delegation from Brazil and restated the disposition of the local business sector to improve relations with Brazilian companies.
The secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Michel Alaby, who also spoke at the opening of the event, invited businessmen from Qatar to visit Brazil and learn about the economic potential of the country.
The business attaché at the Brazilian embassy to Qatar, Rolemberg Estevão de Souza, also defended the idea of both countries expanding relations, including in the case of investment.
"Brazil is open and ready for Qatar, and Qatar is ready for Brazil," stated Souza.
According to him, the economies of both countries are complementary. The real estate sector and infrastructure projects may attract capital from Qatar, according to Souza.
"Brazil is a great country for investment," said the attaché. "Qatar is very rich, but Brazil needs to come and call Qatar to invest," recommended Souza.
Qatar is a producer of oil and gas. Per capita income in the country is among the highest in the world, over US$ 40,000. According to Al-Kuwari, Qatar has reserves to produce natural gas for approximately 200 years.
The Arab country has been increasing relations with Brazil significantly with regard to imports and exports. From January to October this year, Brazilian exports to Qatar grew 97% over the same period last year, reaching US$ 108 million.
And Brazilian imports from Qatar also rose, from US$ 140,000 in the first ten months of last year to US$ 28.9 million between January and September this year.
Al-Kuwari told the group of Brazilian businessmen that there are good opportunities to expand trade relations between both nations. According to him, Brazilian product prices are competitive. Al-Kuwari stated that one of the sectors in which Brazilians may find demand in Qatar is building material.
Seeking markets for these products is one of the objectives of the Brazilian trade delegation to the Gulf. After the meeting with heads at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Qatar, the businessmen on the delegation had an opportunity to show their products and services to local importers.
Anba
