Abu Dhabi Investment Group has announced plans to invest more than $100 billion in Brazil, focusing on sectors such as infrastructure, clean energy, oil and gas, and agriculture, amid growing ties between the UAE and the South American nation.
The commitment was announced during a meeting between Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and ADIG chief executive Zayed bin Aweidha in Brasilia, the company said in a statement on Friday.
The co-operation between the Brazilian government and ADIG will look at mergers in sectors such as technology and aviation, as well as automotive manufacturing – which will include the acquisition of an existing facility – and finance, including the establishment of a dedicated bank.
Key investment areas include restoration of degraded pasture, urban infrastructure, industrial development and sustainable mobility. The deals will extend to agriculture, with plans to boost food security across 400,000 square kilometres using advanced technologies to optimise supply chains and reduce waste, ADIG said.
Mr Aweidha described the partnership as a “cornerstone for energy security and sustainable economic growth” which will look at clean energy initiatives such as solar and wind projects to move towards a low-carbon economy.
Developing key initiatives outlined at this month's G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro was discussed at the meeting. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, was in Brazil to represent the UAE at the G20 Summit, where ADIG unveiled infrastructure initiatives aimed at boosting development in emerging economies.
Sheikh Khaled meets world leaders at G20 summit – in pictures
“Our efforts span the financing of smart transportation systems, clean water networks and green infrastructure, alongside driving digital transformation and modern technological advancements,” Mr Aweidha said.
ADIG also plans to finance the construction of alternative housing for informal settlements, including model villages to relocate slum residents, with the goal of enhancing productivity and raising living standards.
The UAE, the Arab world’s second-largest economy, aims to boost trade and economic relations with countries around the globe to attract more investment and diversify its economy.
Brazil is one of the UAE's top trading partners in Latin America and ranks second only to the US among its most important trading partners in the Americas. The Emirates’ non-oil trade with Brazil reached $4.3 billion in 2022, an annual growth of 32 per cent, according to figures from the UAE's Ministry of Economy.
Last year, the UAE was the 28th-largest destination for Brazilian products. By the first half of this year, it moved up to the 13th position on the back of a 74 per cent increase in Brazilian exports to the Emirati market. At least 40 Brazilian companies operate in the UAE.
The two countries currently collaborate in industry, transport, shipping, storage, infrastructure, construction, port management, energy, mining, banking and finance, and property.
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
