The State Government participated in the Brazil Investment Forum (BIF) 2022 on 14 and 15 June in São Paulo. With a virtual stand and the presence of representatives of the Secretariats of International Affairs (SAI), Sustainable Economic Development (SDE) the Secretariat of the treasury (SEF), the government of Santa Catarina supported the largest investment forum in Latin America, presented the potential of various sectors of the state economy to Brazilian and foreign businessmen interested in investing in Santa Catarina and prospective new future business rounds in the state.

“The BIF has always been a great opportunity for states and investors to meet, and the return of the face-to-face, hybrid format has helped a lot. We made numerous contacts with important potential partners, who were interested in the investment attraction programmes of the Government of Santa Catarina. Among them, the IPP opportunities offered by the State”, said the Secretary of International Affairs, Fernando Raupp.

The undersecretary of treasury, Michele Roncalio, participated as a panellist in the event. In her presentation, she spoke about Santa Catarina’s experience with the Partnership and Investment Programme (PPI). “We were invited as a good practice to present the model that has been developed in Santa Catarina of partnership and concessions, especially about the guarantees that we are offering to those who want to invest in our state,” said Michele. According to her, the IPP is more than a management project, it is a state project. “What we are building here has been considered, both by the BID and by the network of public-private partnerships, as a good example of governance,” she explained.

The contact with investors was also highlighted by the director of Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness of SDE, Carlos Alberto Arns Filho, who accompanied the event in the virtual rooms. “Our state has a diversified economy, attractive tax benefits and a very favourable investment environment, and these investors can have access to all this information and contacts that will facilitate the attraction of new business.”

Internationalised economy

At the opening of the event, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty), Carlos França, pointed out that the Brazilian economy is modernising and internationalising, a situation represented by Brazil’s entry into the OCDE (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). The foreign minister said that the insertion represented a historic milestone for the country and is the result of intense diplomatic engagement. “We are working for a modern and competitive economy, with positive consolidation in attracting a frequent flow of investments,” he said.

Confidence in Brazil was also the theme of a speech by the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Mauricio Claver-Carone. He praised the Brazilian business environment, highlighting the country within Latin America. “Brazil is the right country at the right time. It is one of the 10 most attractive countries in the world for investment. I believe in Brazil and you should believe in Brazil too”. For Claver-Carone, who made himself available to international investors, the world should pay attention to key sectors within Brazil, such as information technology, infrastructure and renewable energy.

The good business environment in the country was also in the presentations of the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro; the Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes; and the president of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), Augusto Pestana.

BIF 2022

BIF 2022 brought together public sector authorities, representatives of development banks, executives and CEOs of global companies to discuss the Brazilian business environment and opportunities in the most diverse sectors of the economy. Around 600 people attended the event, which was also streamed live on BIF’s online platform.

The Brazil 2022 Investment Forum was organised by ApexBrasil, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and the BID. Panels covered topics such as the economic situation in Brazil and the world, trends, competitiveness, and sessions presented the environment in sectors such as agribusiness, infrastructure, energy, real estate, innovation and information technology.

With information from ApexBrasil