Trade Brazil’s JBS to open Saudi food factory as trade ties deepen Brazilian multinational JBS is to open a food factory in Saudi Arabia with an investment of SAR500 million ($133 million), in a further sign of the strengthening ties between the two countries. JBS, one of the largest meat and poultry producers in the world, will open the facility in Jeddah under its subsidiary Seara by […] July 25, 2024
Oil & Gas QatarEnergies buys into Suriname oil expansion The state-owned giant QatarEnergy has signed a deal with US oil company Chevron to acquire a 20 percent interest in a production-sharing contract for an offshore concession in the South American country of Suriname. Chevron will keep a 40 percent interest in Surname’s block 5, as will Paradise Oil, an affiliate of Suriname’s national oil […] July 19, 2024
Mining Saudi’s Almar Water explores lithium venture in Chile Almar Water Solutions, a water infrastructure developer and part of Saudi Arabian company Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, plans to partner with Chile’s state-backed Codelco in the Maricunga lithium mining project. The Spain-based company aims to leverage its technology to extract battery-metal lithium, Reuters reported, quoting CEO Carlos Cosin. Chile is the world’s second-largest lithium producer […] June 26, 2024
Oil & Gas Iran, Iraq and Libya among worst offenders on gas flaring Environmentally ruinous flaring of gas at upstream oil and gas facilities has risen to its highest level for five years, despite pledges to end the practice, the World Bank has said. Iran, Iraq and Libya were among the biggest contributors in 2023, according to a World Bank report published on June 20. Along with six […] June 25, 2024
Opinion Agriculture Arab states must raise intra-trade to buffer against food shocks Gulf producers are neglecting their own farming potential June 24, 2024
Mining Saudi Arabia targets Chile for lithium investments Saudi Arabia’s mining minister Bandar Alkhorayef will visit Chile next month to negotiate a deal to secure lithium to support the kingdom’s ambition to expand its electric vehicle (EV) sector, a news report said. Alkhorayef will meet with his counterpart in Santiago, Reuters reported, quoting a Chilean government statement. The report said the two officials will discuss […] June 18, 2024
Finance Saudi Arabia’s PIF to invest $15bn to drive Brazil’s growth The Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, is planning to invest $15 billion in Brazil, according to a media report. The investments will be made in green hydrogen, infrastructure and renewable energy sectors, Reuters reported, quoting Brazil’s minister for energy, Alexandre Silveira. In May Manara Minerals, a joint venture between the Saudi […] June 13, 2024
Food & Drink Mubadala-backed Zamp buys Starbucks brand in Brazil Zamp, a Brazilian restaurant chain backed by Abu Dhabi sovereign fund Mubadala, has signed a deal to buy the Starbucks brand in the South American nation. The operator of Burger King and Popeyes stores in Brazil, Zamp signed an agreement with bankruptcy-hit SouthRock Group to acquire certain assets and rights of the Starbucks brand for 120 […] June 7, 2024
Banking & Finance Wealthy Latin Americans more likely to invest in Middle East Wealthy Latin American families were more present as investors in the Middle East than those from other parts of the world in 2023, a global banking report says, but overall numbers are low and down from 2022. UBS bank’s Global Family Office Report for 2024 showed that Latin American families had placed 2 percent of […] May 28, 2024
Oil & Gas QatarEnergy to help develop offshore oil project in Brazil A consortium including the state-backed QatarEnergy has taken the final investment decision to develop the second phase of the Sépia oil and gas field, 200km off the coast of Brazil. The other partners alongside QatarEnergy are TotalEnergies of France, Petronas of Malaysia, the Netherland’s Petrogal Brazil, and Brazil’s Petrobras, the field operator. A contract was signed […] May 28, 2024
Oil & Gas Adnoc ends talks to buy stake in Brazilian petchem producer Abu Dhabi state-owned energy company Adnoc has ended talks to buy a controlling stake in Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem. “Adnoc International Limited has no interest in continuing the process of analysis and negotiations with Novonor on the potential transaction,” the São Paulo-listed company said in a bourse filing on Monday. Following the disclosure, Braskem shares dropped […] May 7, 2024
Renewable Energy Mubadala to invest $13.5bn in sustainable biofuels in Brazil Mubadala Capital is to invest $13.5 billion in biofuels in Brazil. Its chief investment officer and head of Brazil Oscar Fahlgren told the Financial Times that the scheme to produce renewable diesel and aviation kerosene using mainly non-food plant matter is “a very important capital project”. Mubadala is the second-biggest sovereign wealth fund in Abu […] May 6, 2024
Industry UAE’s Edge Group buys stake in tear gas manufacturer The UAE’s state-owned defence company Edge Group has acquired 51 percent of a Brazilian company which specialises in the manufacture of non-lethal technologies (NLT) such as tear gas and rubber bullets. Condor Non-Lethal Technologies (Condor) has presence in more than 85 countries and is the world’s largest producer of tear gas and related products for […] May 2, 2024
Mining Manara takes a $2.5bn stake in Brazilian mining giant Manara Minerals, a joint venture between Saudi Arabian Mining Co (Maaden) and the sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF), has completed a $2.5 billion deal to acquire a stake in a subsidiary of Brazilian giant Vale. Maaden said in a filing to the Saudi Exchange that it has acquired 10 percent of Vale Base Metals Limited […] May 1, 2024
Analysis Trade Emirates in trade talks with South American quartet The UAE is talking to the four South American countries of the Mercosur bloc to deepen trade relations and boost two-way commerce currently worth almost $8 billion a year. The group, which consists of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, is in the preliminary stages of negotiations “to define next steps” of a free trade deal […] April 26, 2024
Trade UAE strikes Colombia deal to strengthen Latin American links The UAE has strengthened trade relations with Latin America after signing a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Colombia, just days after a Cepa deal was struck with Costa Rica. Officials from the UAE and Colombia put pen to paper on an agreement that will cut tariffs and remove trade barriers between the two countries. UAE […] April 19, 2024
Trade Costa Rica added to UAE economic partners The UAE has signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Costa Rica, the latest in a string of trade deals around the world over the past two years. It is the first time the Central American country has signed an agreement with a Middle Eastern country. The agreement will improve trade flows between the two […] April 18, 2024
Renewable Energy Atvos in deal to build biomethane plant in Brazil Brazilian ethanol producer Atvos has signed an agreement to build a biomethane factory in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, with investments seen at more than 350 million reais ($69.4 million), it said in a statement on Wednesday. The biomethane plant is expected to have a 28-million cubic meter capacity per crop and will […] April 10, 2024 In association with
Infrastructure DP World teams up with Rumo for new Brazilian port terminal DP World and the Brazilian railway operator Rumo are to build a new terminal at the port of Santos in São Paulo, to handle 12.5 million tonnes of grain and fertiliser a year. The project is intended to make the port Brazil’s primary gateway, and central to trade for South America. Rumo estimates the total […] April 2, 2024
Analysis Markets Gulf weightings increase on MSCI Emerging Markets The MSCI Emerging Markets Index has increased the weightings of Gulf countries since their inclusion on the benchmark, as regulators loosened rules and companies ease foreign ownership restrictions to make it easier to invest. According to MSCI, more than $1.3 trillion in assets under management (AuM) was benchmarked against its emerging markets indexes as of […] March 21, 2024
Opinion Agriculture The memory of water: Saudi Arabia’s troubled history Growing crops and preserving water is a balancing act for Saudi Arabia March 20, 2024
Opinion Transport Emirates ‘warms up’ the Miami-Bogota route The latest route in a long line of Fifth Freedom destinations March 6, 2024
