"South Africa and Angola have a long history of good political and economic relations. The contingent of businesspeople that we have brought here to participate in this popular international exhibition will expose South Africans to the Angolan market," she said on Wednesday.
The five-day international exhibition, which kicked off in Luanda on Tuesday, will give businesspeople an opportunity to network, with the aim of striking deals and establishing joint ventures that will see their products and services being exported and imported.
Filda is a multi-sectoral fair attended by exhibitors from different sectors including oil, banking, services, trade, communications, automobile, machines and equipment, and agricultural and farming products, amongst others.
On Wednesday, Thabethe also opened the South African National Pavilion at FILDA, where 29 companies that have been financially assisted by the dti to participate in the exhibition will showcase their products and services, targeting to increase exports of South African manufactured products to Angola and other international markets.
These companies include small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), emerging exporters, women-owned enterprises and large companies.
The fair ends on Sunday.
