Pretoria - Twenty-four South African companies will showcase their products and services at the Feira Internacional de Angola (FILDA) international trade exhibition later this month, said the Department of Trade and Industry (dti).
This as the department has organised a national Pavilion at the exhibition which takes place in Luanda from 21-26 July 2015.
The department will provide financial assistance to the companies through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) scheme to participate and showcase their products at the exhibition with the aim of increasing exports of South African manufactured products to Angola.
The objective of the scheme is to develop export markets for South African products and services and to recruit new foreign direct investment into the country.
The companies include small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), emerging exporters, women-owned enterprises and large companies drawn from the logistics and infrastructure, civil construction, energy (oil and gas), mining and capital equipment, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and boat-building sectors.
According to the Deputy Minister of the dti Mzwandile Masina, FILDA will expose South African companies to trade and investment opportunities available in Angola and other countries participating in the annual multi-sectoral exhibition.
Last year, more than 800 companies from about 40 countries participated in the exhibition, with more than 50 000 people visiting it.
”The dti is striving to facilitate economic development through promoting outward investment, intra-Africa trade, regional industrialisation and infrastructure development within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and the rest of Africa. FILDA will be a good platform to promote South African manufactured products in the Angolan market and beyond,” said Deputy Minister Masina on Monday.
Total trade between South Africa and Angola stood at over R33 billion last year, with a R10 billion trade deficit incurred by South Africa.
South African exports to Angola comprise mainly of electro-technical machinery and mechanical appliances, prepared foodstuffs, beverages, spirits and vinegar, chemical products, mechanical equipment for vehicles and aircrafts and vegetables.
The composition of Angolan imports into South Africa has primarily been petroleum oils, bituminous minerals and crude. – SAnews.gov.za
