Marconi tries to attract the aeronautical industry to the Anápolis hub.
The governor spent his first day of his agenda in Portugal and, in a meeting with directors of OGMA, a traditional Portuguese aircraft manufacturer whose largest shareholder is the Brazilian company Embraer, suggested that the company take advantage of the renewal of the Brazilian Air Force's fighter fleet to install one of its units in Anápolis; Marconi observed that, with the purchase of the new Swiss Gripen fighter jets by the Brazilian government, the Anápolis Air Base is preparing to receive a new and modern fighter maintenance unit, generating new business opportunities for the aeronautical industry.
Goiás 247 - In a meeting with directors of OGMA, a traditional Portuguese aircraft manufacturer whose largest shareholder is the Brazilian company Embraer, Governor Marconi Perillo suggested that the company take advantage of the renewal of the Brazilian Air Force's fighter jet fleet to install one of its units in Anápolis.
Marconi noted that, with the purchase of the new Swiss Gripen fighter jets by the Brazilian government, the Anápolis Air Base is preparing to receive a new and modern fighter maintenance unit, generating new business opportunities for the aeronautical industry.
The governor is trying to leverage the implementation of technology for the maintenance of the Brazilian Air Force's new fighter jets to generate interest from companies that supply parts, services, and even labor to the aeronautical industry. Given the strategic geographic location of Anápolis and Goiânia for military and civil aviation in a country the size of Brazil, the governor wants to encourage the migration of technological projects to Goiás.
OGMA was a state-owned company and in 2015 celebrated 10 years since its privatization, with 65% Brazilian capital participation through Embraer. The company specializes in manufacturing parts and maintaining major commercial and military aviation fleets, including Brazilian-made aircraft that are already flying from over 35 countries.
The governor was received at OGMA in the company of the first deputy prime minister of Portugal, Paulo Portas, the president of Embraer – Frederico Fleury Curado, from Goiás – and the Brazilian ambassador to Portugal, Mario Vilalva. All support the initiative to intensify relations between Brazil and Portugal, considering the similarities in culture and interests, but mainly acknowledging that, over time, both have been focused on their neighbors without consolidating as a union of equals.
In terms of trade with Portugal, Goiás has been losing bilateral trade year after year, which is seen as a setback generated by the international crisis that lasted four months in Brazil and six years in Europe. This vision of building new solutions was shared with the business president of Caixa Geral de Depósitos in Portugal, a kind of state-owned superbank with a mix of private capital that holds almost half of the country's accounts.
Nuno Fernandes Thomas, with whom Marconi exchanged diagnoses about Brazil and its current crises, arranged a visit by Portuguese observers and investors to Goiás with the purpose of "moving beyond the Rio-São Paulo axis," where the Portuguese bank operates with financing for public-private partnerships. The governor was also received by the Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, Sérgio Monteiro, whose position is equivalent to that of a Minister in Brazil for the Portuguese.
Monteiro is a kind of leading advocate for the entry of private capital into Portuguese public activities, including investments and partnerships with Brazil, seen by Europeans as a way out at the end of the tunnel for investments that are currently frozen in Portugal.
On the economic agenda, with a strong focus on attracting European capital for projects in Goiás, Marconi also took a moment to learn firsthand about the cutting-edge cancer research and treatment technology maintained by the Champalimaud Foundation. Maria Beleza, president of the institute, impressed the Goiás delegation with two major advancements in combating the disease: She created a comfortable environment free from the smells and routines of a hospital and employed a legion of young people to research, day and night, advancements and techniques specifically tailored to each registered case for treatment.
This Tuesday, the governor will give a lecture on investment and partnership opportunities in Goiás to a group of 30 Portuguese businesspeople and investors. The lecture and luncheon with authorities will be offered by the Portuguese Industrial Association and the Luso-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce. The Governor will also meet with two Portuguese ministers – the Minister of Food Security and the Minister of Tourism – and will be received by the Assembly of the Republic – the equivalent of the National Congress for the Portuguese.