Negotiations of the free trade agreement between the Mercosur countries and Canada were also another topic addressed during the event, which brought together members of the government, economists and business people.
By Deborah Oliveira
The 1st Brazil-Canada Economic Forum, held at the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC), in São Paulo, brought together Brazilian experts, representatives of Brazilian and Canadian companies and Canadian government officials for a debate on business opportunities between Brazil and Canada and the current global political-economic scenario. The analyzed topics included the Mercosur-Canada free trade agreement, food security, energy security, and infrastructure.
Ronaldo Ramos, president of CCBC, welcomed the guests and stressed the importance of the Chamber’s 50 years in fostering business synergy between the two countries. “Over these 50 years we have worked through trade missions, business rounds, and the creation of hubs to support the internationalization of Brazilian companies, a joint effort between the two countries,” he said.
The current stage of the free trade agreement negotiations between Brazil and Canada and the business opportunities in sectors such as food, mining, and infrastructure were at the center of the discussions. Marcos Troyjo, former president of the BRICS Bank, diplomat and economist, spoke about the global framework in which Brazil-Canada relations are embedded. According to Troyjo, the combination of the world population increase and the economic growth resulting from the expansion of emerging countries is an extraordinary opportunity for Brazil and Canada to build partnerships. “It is a perfect match between the opportunities and the resources required,” he noted.
Pedro Bório, Brazil’s Ambassador to Canada, highlighted that the political relations between the two countries have resumed with more fluidity post-pandemic and emphasized the recent meeting between President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G7 Summit. “It is important that new trading partners understand the Brazilian reality, and the opening of CCBC’s commercial offices in other states facilitates this process. There are countless untapped opportunities for both countries”, he pointed out.
Emmanuel Kamarianakis, Canadian Ambassador to Brazil, highlighted the importance of bilateral trade between the two countries and recalled the investments made by the two nations. “CCBC was essential for achieving all the positive outcomes between the two countries. Canada recognizes Brazil as a relevant economic force in South America,” he observed.
David Verbinski, Consul General of Canada in Rio de Janeiro, stressed the importance of joint work between the CCBC and the Canadian government with public and private partners. “We are committed to creating commercial partnerships and this includes ongoing negotiations for the free trade agreement with Mercosur, as well as the trade diversification agenda,” he assessed.
