The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will lead a delegation of twenty-five South African businesses to the Investment and Trade Initiative (ITI) taking place in Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte, in Brazil from 2 to 5 October 2012. This will be the fourth ITI to Brazil organised by the department.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies says the ITI will increase exports of value-added products from South Africa to Brazil, by means of showcasing South African companies’ diverse range of capabilities to produce world class products and services.
“South African companies have developed highly specialised skills and products and there are various opportunities for them to market them, as well as collaborate in projects with Brazilian companies,” says Davies.
There will be four parallel programmes during the ITI, each one focussing on a specific sector to ensure that the South African business delegation receives as much exposure to the relevant business audience in Brazil as possible.
Sectors targeted for the ITI are: Mining and Capital Equipment, Automotive Components, Aerospace, Defence, Safety and Security, and Agro-processing.
In March 2012, the 3rd ITI to Brazil was held in the states of São Paulo, Curitiba and Porte Alegre and provided a platform for South African companies to engage with Brazilian entities on projects to realise the 2014 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
This initiative successfully served the purpose of promoting bilateral trade between South Africa and Brazil, with 35 South African companies from various industries participating.
In 2011, Brazil ranked 26th as an export partner and 15th as an import partner of South Africa globally. Total bilateral trade between South Africa and Brazil amounted to R17.5 billion in 2011, which was 18.6% higher than in 2010.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe, Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 012 394 1650
Mobile: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Follow us on twitter: @the_dti
