A TREMENDO

DUBAI: Expo 2020 Dubai has announced its latest visitor numbers, with an incredible 3,578,653 individual visits achieved by November’s half-way point, only six weeks into Expo’s six-month run. Virtual visitation also rose to 15.7 million since 1st October.

The announcement comes ater a packed weekend at the site, with stellar music, sport and cultural performances taking place.

And more is on the way. Expo’s fourth Theme Week, with debates and panel discussions centred around Tolerance and Inclusivity, got under way on Sunday, and will feature talent and performances from a range of cultures and backgrounds.

The highlight is Expo’s all-female Firdaus Orchestra, which will perform music from world cinema and TV on International Day for Tolerance on 16th November, and take to the stage again on World Children’s Day on 20th November in a show that will encourage children to explore, thrive and connect with musical pieces they know and love, such as classics from Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.

Expo 2020 Dubai runs until 31st March 2022, inviting the world to join a celebration of unity, opportunity, creativity and sustainability that will help to shape a beter, brighter future for everyone.

Separately, Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, has met with Sergej Sekulovic, Minister of Interior of Montenegro and his accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance ties between the UAE and Montenegro in the security and policing fields and way to boost ties between the two sides.

Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed and Sekulovic exchanged views on the role of Expo 2020 Dubai to develop global dialogue, convergence of views and achieve communication among the peoples of the world, as an event that promotes for creativity, innovation, human progress and culture. A number of senior police officers atended the meeting.

A GATEWAY TO GROWTH: Brazilian micro and small business see significant opportunities in the UAE and regard the country as a gateway to the broader MENA region, executives from Sebrae, the Brazilian micro and small business support service, told a Brazilian business event in Dubai. Sebrae took part in the BrazilUnited Arab Emirates Prospective Business Mission on November 14 and 15 as part of its efforts to cultivate opportunities for Brazilian companies in the UAE.

Owners of micro and small Brazilian companies will also participate in various activities during the sixmonths of expo 2020 Dubai. Sebrae, in partnership with other Brazilian government entities, are bringing entrepreneurs with export potential from the states of Paraná, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Pará, Ceará, Rondônia and Tocantins to the event to introduce them to the regional market.

At the opening of the “How to do business with the United Arab Emirates” seminar of the Brazil-united Arab Emirates Prospective Business Mission, Sebrae president, Carlos Melles, reiterated the potential of Brazil’s small businesses to serve the UAE and MENA.

He said Sebrae has a fundamental role in expanding the number and value of exports by small businesses, training entrepreneurs, and ensuring that their products and services adhere to international standards. “We are preparing Brazilian companies for internationalization, increasing the amount of exporting business and the value being traded,” said Melles.

Melles pointed out that expo 2020 in Dubai will enhance Brazilian firms’ understanding of the MENA market, thanks to Dubai’s position as the region’s principal trading hub. “There is a wide variety of opportunities, and expo 2020 is an ideal plaform for atracting partnerships and investors. I believe our efforts will open a huge market for our micro and small companies,” he adds.

Brazil’s 18.2 million micro and small companies account for 99 per cent of businesses in the country and were responsible for 70 per cent of the jobs created since the beginning of this year. Altogether, they generate annual revenues worth an estimated $880,000 and 30 per cent of national GDP.

While the Middle East already imports significant amounts of Brazilian açaí and cosmetics, Sebrae believes tourism services and technologies related to the energy sector have particularly strong growth potential.

The value of Brazilian exports to the region grew from $8.8 billion in 2020 to $12.27 billion this year. According to Sebrae, micro and small business were responsible for at least 40 per cent of this trade.

“We believe there is enormous potential in the region, and this potential can be transformed into concrete