Trade lunch FIRJAN
Alleen de uitgesproken tekst geldt.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I could not possibly skip the Cidade Maravilhosa on a visit to Brazil. Rio de Janeiro has charm and beauty, and you know how to live and enjoy life to the full.
But Rio has a lot more to offer than carnival and sunshine. The city is an important centre for finance and services. It is the second largest industrial city in Brazil. And it is the hub of the Brazilian shipbuilding industry, which is why I am so pleased to be visiting your city as Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management.
My entire day has centred on the maritime supply industry and I have seen some wonderful things. I visited Vale, the major mining company, and the Mauá Jurong shipyard. A great deal of Vale’s iron ore enters Europe via the port of Rotterdam. The Maritime University of Rotterdam also has close ties with Vale and provides in-house training courses.
I am delighted to be your guest, and delighted to be the guest of a business association. I mention this specifically because, at this time of uncertainty brought about by the credit crisis, it is more important than ever before to keep looking to the future. And it is essential for the Netherlands to strengthen its ties with important partners like Brazil. Because we need to ensure that our companies are at the starting gate and ready to go when economic recovery sets in – which I hope will be soon.
Here, too, you are feeling the pain of the financial crisis. Vale has had to put plans for a new iron mine on hold. We should be careful not to retreat into our shells and stop investing. This is our chance to deepen our cooperation. I know for certain that Bernard Wientjes, the president of the largest employers’ organisation in the Netherlands, has his own ideas about that.
Rio de Janeiro is in a good position right now, partly due to the discovery of oil reserves off the coast. That will bring all kinds of developments for the shipbuilding and offshore industries. Fields in which the Netherlands has vast expertise. You may recall the old Verolme shipyard in Baia de Jacuacanga – currently Keppel Fels Brazil S.A. – not far from here.
Ladies and gentlemen.
On Wednesday I had a very constructive meeting with your governor, Mr Cabral. We are both convinced that the Netherlands and Brazil have much to offer each other. My message to you is this: look for opportunities, find opportunities and, when you do, make the most of those opportunities.
Thank you again for your hospitality.