African Business Shows Interest in Russian Products During Trade Fair
Source: Sputnik News
MOSCOW, November 17 (Sputnik) - African business expresses interest in Russian-made products on display at the Intra-African Trade Fair, Anna Belyaeva, Executive Director of the Association for Economic Cooperation with Africa, told Sputnik.
The 2021 Intra-African Trade Fair is running in Durban, South Africa, from November 15-21. The event is being attended by thousands of business people. It has seen governments coming together with various exhibitors to showcase their goods and services.
"We see that the interest in Russian businesses is very high. A lot of business people are coming into the stand and are very impressed with what we brought here to Durban, so indeed we are very happy," Belyaeva said.
She noted that products of seven Russian companies specializing in various areas are presented at the trade fair.
"We have seven Moscow companies with us as a delegation from different sectors of the economy; energy, cybersecurity, machinery production, and food production," the official said.
Belyaeva stressed that all these companies seek to hold talks and sign agreements with their African counterparts.
"So different Moscow companies are here to present themselves, and to arrange business contacts with companies from all over Africa. We have pre-arranged meetings with companies from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola, the Ivory Coast and many other countries that are present here," she said.
The first event of its nature, the annual Intra-African Trade Fair, was confirmed by the pan-African Afreximbank in collaboration with the African Union with the intent of streamlining the provisions prescribed in the 2018 African Continental Free Trade Agreement as a platform for African businesses, governments and stakeholders to strike agreements.