Member Article

Brazil offers $20bn infrastructure projects to UK businesses

Eight Brazilian infrastructure contracts have been opened up to businesses in the UK by a trade delegation from Sao Paulo.

Trade Minister, Lord Green welcomed the delegation, which presented $20bn worth of Public Private Partnership projects to potential British contractors in the City of London on Monday.

The construction and maintenance programmes available included three subway line projects, a monorail, an intercity train network, three prison complex schemes and four new hospitals.

Bids for the first contract will open this month, and bids for the final project will open in November, while construction is due to begin on the different schemes between June 2013 and April 2014.

Lord Green commented: “As Sao Paulo prepares to host the World Cup in 2014, there are some great infrastructure projects ready to get underway in Brazil.

“Our construction sector is one of the world’s biggest and best, and UK companies are ideally placed to capitalise on these excellent opportunities.

“For the London Olympics 2012 we showed the world what we can do. We have already witnessed the incredible regeneration of east London, with world class facilities and a new urban park created.

“We are now working hard, alongside firms around the country to follow up the contacts, networks, announcements and momentum created by the Games.”

Sao Paulo’s deputy governor, Guilherme Afif Domingos, added: “The State of Sao Paulo today is alone the 18th largest economy in the world, accounting for 33% of Brazil’s GDP and it has a credibility track-record to attract investments in infrastructure through partnerships with the private sector.

“Moreover, the European crisis opens a window of opportunity to awaken the healthy appetite of foreign investors in search of good business options in emerging markets.”

“The event will involve a roundtable with UK infrastructure companies and banks, which will be introduced by Lord Green and Deputy Governor Afif.

“There will also be an evening reception at Mansion House, hosted by the Lord Mayor of London, where Lord Green will sign a Memorandum of Understanding between UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and Invest Sao Paulo.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .