Agriculture GCC companies vie for stake in Brazilian grain trader Brazilian grain trader Agribrasil has held talks with suitors interested in buying a stake in the company, according to two sources familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private, and GCC companies are reported in the mix. Two sources named Solaris Commodities, an independent commodity trader headquartered in Dubai, […] March 10, 2025
Trade InvestSaudi to open second US office in Miami Saudi Arabia’s investment promotion authority, InvestSaudi, will establish its second office in the United States in Miami to target flows to and from North and South America. Khalid A. Al-Falih, the Saudi investment minister, made the announcement on Thursday at the Future Investment Initiative summit in the South Florida city. “By selecting Miami as our […] February 21, 2025
Oil & Gas Brazil joins Opec+ oil producers’ group Brazil, the largest oil producer in South America, has officially joined the Opec+ group of more than 20 countries that attempts to manage global oil output. The participation formalises an initial announcement in November 2023, a statement by Opec said. Brazil’s membership will be limited to the Opec+ Charter of Cooperation, a permanent forum between […] February 19, 2025
Analysis Trade Gulf-South America trade surges as economies grow When Dubai’s Emirates airline started flying from Dubai to Bogotá in Colombia last summer, it not only provided a vital link between the two cities but also highlighted growing trade and investment links between the Gulf and South America. UAE-Argentina non-oil trade surged more than 70 percent last year to $537 million, according to the […] February 17, 2025
Development Opec Fund and Dubai bank partner on Paraguay loan The Commercial Bank of Dubai has partnered with the Opec Fund for International Development to provide a $50 million syndicated loan to Banco Continental to support lending to small and medium-sized enterprises in Paraguay. The Opec Fund will contribute $25 million from its own resources and Commercial Bank of Dubai will provide a $25 million […] February 7, 2025
Analysis Trade From fertiliser to minerals, GCC-Brazil ties move beyond oil Global sourcing headwinds Unease around Trump's tariffs Alternatives to China Since the start of the year Saudi Arabia and the UAE have moved aggressively to expand their access to mineral resources in Brazil. In turn, Brazil is inc... Register now: It’s easy and free This content is available for registered members only. Register for your […] February 5, 2025
Logistics DP World to put $1bn into Peru ports Global ports operator DP World plans to invest more than $1 billion in developing port infrastructure in Peru. DP World CEO Sultan bin Sulayem conveyed the interest during a meeting with President Dina Boluarte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Boluarte said in a post on X. The investment will promote agricultural exports and […] January 23, 2025
Mining Brazil and UAE sign minerals exploration deal The UAE and Brazil have signed an agreement potentially worth billions of dollars to invest in the search for minerals that are essential to the green energy transition. The memorandum of understanding aims to promote exploration for and development of “strategic” minerals, in a partnership that could reach R$15 billion ($2.45 billion) in investments, Brazil’s […] January 14, 2025
Analysis Health Healthcare providers from Americas target GCC tie-ups With the rise of chronic diseases and other complex medical needs, co-operation is growing between medical institutions in Gulf states and their counterparts in the US and beyond. Mass General Brigham Hospitals Network and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, both based in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minnesota, are among the household names […] January 6, 2025
Oil & Gas Conflict hampering Mediterranean operations, says Chevron CEO US energy major Chevron has struggled to keep natural gas production online in the Eastern Mediterranean during the conflict in the Middle East, according to its chairman and chief executive Mike Wirth. Chevron is the largest producer of natural gas for Israel, in particular through two “large” offshore platforms, Tamar and Leviathan, that also supply […] December 12, 2024
Markets Mubadala-backed Brazilian bourse targets 2025 debut Brazil’s newest stock exchange, which is owned by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, is expected to begin operations in the second half of 2025, following a six-month testing phase. Base Exchange, the operator of the exchange, will initially trade equities, real estate funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through its own clearing and settlement structure, Reuters reported, citing CEO Claudio […] December 12, 2024
Trade UAE expected to sign trade deal with Mercosur bloc next year The UAE is expected to sign a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the Mercosur bloc of South American countries next year, senior officials have said. The UAE and Brazil announced that talks about a Cepa were progressing, following a third round of negotiations last month in Uruguay. The talks started late last year and continued […] December 11, 2024
Transport Mubadala to sell Brazilian port and mining assets Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Capital has commenced work on selling Porto Sudeste, a Brazilian private port terminal. The port is co-owned with Singapore-based commodities trader Trafigura. Describing Porto Sudeste as a “mature” asset, Leonardo Yamamoto, executive director of Mubadala Capital Brazil, told Reuters that the company’s role is “no longer very relevant”. Mubadala Capital and Trafigura […] November 12, 2024
Food & Drink Gulf’s taste for chicken boosts Brazilian exports Saudi Arabia and the UAE has helped Brazil record the second-highest volume of chicken meat exports in a single month. Shipments of chicken from Brazil in September increased 17.6 percent to the United Arab Emirates and 5.9 percent to Saudi Arabia. Brazil, the world’s largest supplier of chicken meat, exported 485,000 tonnes in total last […] October 8, 2024
Mining Saudi-backed Vale plans to increase copper output Brazilian miner Vale, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), aims to increase copper production after conceding that it had lost ground to competitors in its output of the key metal. Vale is a top global iron ore producer but also operates base metal projects including copper and nickel. In his first […] October 4, 2024
Trade Chile deal marks UAE’s latest trade agreement A trade deal signed between the UAE and Chile is expected to more than double non-oil bilateral trade and add $73 million to the UAE’s economy by 2031. Non-oil trade between the two countries is forecast to grow from $305 million in 2023 to $750 million by 2030 as a result of the latest comprehensive […] July 30, 2024
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 QatarEnergy 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
