Chamber wants to stimulate business between Canada and the Brazilian Midwest and promote bilateral thematic discussions with public, private and sectorial agents.
By Viviane Monteiro
About to complete 50 years, the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC) decides to open an office in Brasília, also marking its presence in the Federal Capital. The Brasília Chapter, with specific structure and action plan to foster business between the two countries, adds to the BH Chapter, opened last year in Minas Gerais, to the Rio de Janeiro office, in addition to the headquarters in São Paulo and offices in Canada.
With the support of the Canadian government’s representation in Brazil, the initiative foresees acting on two fronts. One, in the promotion of business opportunities between companies from the Centre-West region and Canada. The other, on relevant national thematic discussions. Among the actions foreseen are trade missions programmed for the beginning of this year; sectorial business rounds and periodic events in the region.
“The Federal District was chosen to host this new Chapter because it is a strategic location and because of the opportunity to establish relationships with important industry associations with national coverage. We want to design joint actions with these entities, aiming at the expansion of business between the two countries and regional development”, explains CCBC’s president, Ronaldo Ramos.
The Brasília Chapter will be coordinated by lawyer Diego Herrera, partner of Mattos Filho in the areas of litigation, arbitration and telecommunications. For him, the new office is an important step for CCBC’s operations. “Besides the fact that the Federal Capital hosts diplomatic representations, Brazil has an environment marked by a strong state presence, in which the federal state agencies have great influence over business. This scenario makes it a strategic and natural step for CCBC to land in Brasilia”.
Strengthening relationships
According to the executive, some of the goals for the new Chapter is to expand the dialogue of CCBC members with diplomatic representations and public authorities, in order to foster trade and Brazil-Canada relations. Also, the possibility of promoting projects and the institutional objectives of CCBC itself.
“In addition of identifying business opportunities, CCBC seeks to promote cultural and technological partnerships and foster bilateral innovation and research projects,” adds Paulo de Castro Reis, CCBC’s Director of Institutional Relations. “We have detected many possibilities in this sense, in Brasilia, and we are working effectively on them. With the new Chapter, this effort will be intensified.