TWENTY-FIVE Zimbabwean companies are participating at the continent’s biggest fair, Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) in Cairo, Egypt, as they seek to grow new markets for their products and services.
The participation of the local companies at the fair also comes amid a growing appetite for Zimbabwean products across the continent.
The fair runs from November 9 to 15 in Cairo, Egypt.
Some of the companies at the biennial trade fair are financial services concern ZB Financial Holdings Limited, the country’s first hand-rolled cigarette manufacturing concern Mosi Oa Tunya Cigars, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency, Aurex Jewellery, Glytime Foods and Silo Food Industries.
Others include the Zimbabwe National Road Administration, Viridi Solutions and leather luxury brand Moreda.
Zimbabwe is targeting at least US$20m in trade and investment deals at IATF, riding on the growing interest in the country’s products.
ZimTrade CEO Allan Majuru said the participation of Zimbabwean companies at the fair is designed to “harness on the opportunities available across the continent and complement ongoing efforts by Government to unlock business from excellent relations with all African States”.
At IATF2021 in Durban, South Africa, 34 local companies participated at the fair.
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The fair was organised by Afreximbank in collaboration with Egypt, the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA secretariat to boost intra-African trade.
IATF2023 is billed to attract 1 600 exhibitors from over 75 countries, over 35 000 participants from all 55 African countries and the rest of the world, including the diaspora. It is projected to generate trade deals worth over $43 billion.
The inaugural fair in 2018 had over 1 000 exhibitors, more than 7 000 visitors and trade and investment deals surpassed US$32 billion.
IATF2021 had over 1 500 exhibitors, 35 000 visitors (13 000 attended in person) and trade and investment deals signed reached US$42 billion and 69 countries participated.
