Following a recent expression of interest by the Consulate General of the United States, the state government is working on a technical cooperation term that will establish theme-based working groups. The intention is to exchange information keeping in mind the economic interests of the Rio Grande do Sul and the United States. Areas that will benefit from the agreement include agriculture, security, tourism and trade.
The Secretariat for Economic Development and Tourism (Sedatur) works closely with the Consulate and Secretariat to prepare documents for planning, governance and management (SPGG) that will undergo legal evaluation and as a starting point for partnership operations. Will work in The projection is that the term will be concluded by Governor Eduardo Leite (PSDB) in this period, which can take from 20 days to a month.
Meetings and rounds of work will begin as soon as the document has received the required signatures. In order to ensure that the tasks are put into practice, and that the instrument is not only in the idealization phase, an agreement was formulated to monitor the tasks. “Often, terms of cooperation of this nature are signed that do not leave the paper, then, we will have oversight of the works”, explains Rodrigo Lorenzoni (DEM), Secretary of Economic Development and Tourism.
Sedatur Holder says that it is common for the government to present the charm and potential of state attractions and ambassadors. In this case, the economic potential of the Rio Grande leads to the expansion of the instrument to promote Sul and the American Consulate, which formalizes the exchange of information between the North American country and the Gauch.
The partnership has already resulted in the exchange of ideas, which should accelerate the formulation of regional action plans. “In this moment of economic recovery, this open door of dialogue with one of the world’s main economies is also very important for the economic development of the Rio Grande do Sul”, the secretary commented.
To determine the relevance of this partnership to the state, metrics and goals will be created. The evaluation will take into account factors such as business creation, innovation and exchange of knowledge in technology and export of agricultural products. Lorenzoni says he believes the first result can be identified after the signing of the cooperation agreement.
The Secretary states that the government will introduce American industrial districts and programs to encourage the establishment of industries. This may attract companies that are keen to operate in the state.
Tourism sector will be one of the beneficiaries
Tourism is included in those areas, which may benefit from the partnership. According to the holder of Sedatur, Rodrigo Lorenzoni, these partnerships generally do not include the clause, but the USA sees, mainly in the area of the valley, the opportunity to generate tourist flows to the Rio Grande do Sul.
The Secretary expands the state’s business for tourism and recognizes the lack of greater focus on this potential. In addition, Sedatur Holder says that the epidemic has shown how much tourism impacts the state’s economy. With the advent of the epidemic, many jobs were lost and companies in the segment closed down.
Lorenzoni said that once the tourist flow resumes, it will generate jobs and income quickly, so it is important to deal with the issue with Americans, as the country is one of the world’s major tourist destinations. The Secretary says, “We can exchange a lot of information, a lot of knowledge, so that we can bring good examples to develop our tourism.”
It is not yet possible to determine which areas would benefit from the partnership. The government will make a presentation of all tourist attractions for the American Consulate technicians and await an expression of interest from the Americans.
