BRASILIA: Brazil tried to reassure the world Sunday that its huge meat industry poses no threat — with President Michel Temer even inviting ambassadors to a steak dinner — despite allegations that corrupt exporters sold tainted products.
Temer smiled as he invited diplomats to a traditional Brazilian meat restaurant called a churrascaria, saying “if you accept the invitation we will be very happy.” Nineteen of the 33 envoys who met with him accepted the offer. But Temer had the serious mission of calming a scandal threatening the reputation of the world’s biggest beef and poultry exporting nation.
The scare started Friday when police said a two-year probe had found major meat producers bribed health inspectors to certify tainted food as fit for consumption.
At least 30 people have been arrested, with police raiding more than a dozen processing plants and issuing 27 arrest warrants.
A poultry-processing plant run by the multinational BRF group and two meat-processing plants operated by the local Peccin company were shut down, the Agriculture Ministry said.
Brazilian meat is exported to more than 150 countries, with principal markets as far apart as Saudi Arabia, China, Singapore, Japan, Russia, the Netherlands and Italy. Sales in 2016 reached $5.9 billion in poultry and $4.3 billion in beef, according to Brazilian government data.
In his address to the ambassadors, Temer acknowledged that the scandal had generated “major concern.”
But he insisted that the bad meat and faked certificates occurred in only “a very few businesses” and did not represent a wider problem.
Calling Brazil’s inspection system “one of the most respected” in the world, Temer said: “I want to reiterate our confidence in the quality of our products.”
In 2016, 853,000 consignments of animal products were exported, Temer said, yet “just 184 of them were deemed by importers to be in violation.”
Earlier, Luis Eduardo Pacifici Rangel, secretary of agricultural protection, told reporters that there was “no risk for population, neither for exports.”
Brazil is worried the scandal will hurt attempts to negotiate a trade deal between South America’s Mercosur group with the EU.
The EU ambassador to Brazil, Joao Cravinho, tweeted on Sunday that he wanted “complete, urgent clarifications from the agriculture ministry.”
The authorities have not yet detailed where tainted products were found, but say that in some cases carcinogenic substances were used to mask the smell of bad meat.
In addition to the giant BRF firm, which owns the Sadia and Perdigao brands, companies under investigation include JBS, a world leader in meat sales and owner of the Big Frango, Seara Alimentos and Swift brands.
JBS took out a full-page ad in the newspaper O Globo to say that the federal office conducting the investigation had made no mention of health problems stemming from JBS products. The BRF group is running similar ads, saying its products pose no health risk “whatsoever.”
Brazil president seeks to calm fears over meat sales, exports
Brazil president seeks to calm fears over meat sales, exports
Saudi Arabia’s NDF unveils strategic partners for MOMENTUM 2025 conference
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Development Fund has unveiled the lineup of strategic partners for the Development Finance Conference MOMENTUM 2025, as the Kingdom accelerates efforts to build a more integrated development-finance ecosystem.
The conference, scheduled for Dec. 9–11 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, will bring together policymakers, lenders and global development institutions as the Kingdom seeks to expand financing channels for key sectors.
Saudi National Bank and Arab National Bank are named Main Partners, while Riyad Bank will serve as Banking Partner, NDF said in a press release.
Bank AlJazira and Saudi Awwal Bank join as Enabling Partners, and public-sector participants include Invest Saudi, the Made in Saudi Program, and the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority.
Riyadh Municipality also joins the list as the host city partner, while Saudi Post is the logistics partner for the conference.
“Collectively, these partnerships advance the conference’s vision of fostering collaboration among public and private sectors, contributing to Saudi Vision 2030 objectives,” the release said.
Organized by NDF, this year’s conference is convened under the theme “Leading Development Transformation.”
MOMENTUM 2025 reflects the NDF’s central role as a principal enabler of development in the Kingdom and as a strategic driver of the national development finance system through its 12 affiliated development funds and banks.
“Through this conference, NDF aims to align efforts, amplify impact, enhance coordination and integration, and build meaningful partnerships with leaders across the public and private sectors. Together, these efforts are intended to ensure sustainable growth and empower strategic sectors to deliver on national and global development goals,” the release added.
The program will feature more than 100 speakers from over 120 local and international entities, further underscoring the conference’s role as a national forum supporting the leadership’s vision of building a dynamic financing ecosystem that empowers key sectors.
Several princes, ministers, senior officials, CEOs, global leaders, development experts, and economists are scheduled to attend the conference.
The event will spotlight the contribution of the private sector and small and medium-sized enterprises in elevating the Kingdom’s economic growth, generating jobs, and boosting competitiveness.
