SA, Angola boost trade ties

A view of Luanda, Angla's capital and venue for the Feira Internacional de Angola (FILDA) trade exhibition. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

A South African business delegation is in Angola at the Feira Internacional de Angola (FILDA) trade exhibition in Luanda.

"Energy, water, construction materials, telecommunications, chemicals, mining and distribution are all projects where foreign investment is needed," said Joao Rocha of Termat Comecio Geral, a company that is on a mission to attract and promote South African goods and services in Angola.

Rocha was addressing the South African business delegation at FILDA on Sunday. The delegation of 27 representatives is participating in FILDA with the assistance of the Department of Trade and Industry (dti).

The dti has organised a national pavilion at the exhibition, while it has also financially assisted the companies to participate in the multi-sectoral fair with exhibitors from different sectors including oil, banking, services, trade, communications, automobile, machines and equipment, agriculture, and farming products.

The Angolan government has committed $113bn for transport and infrastructure over the next 20 years and $3.97bn in agricultural development amongst the key drivers of economic growth.

Rocha said Angola has a special programme of incentives for investment projects that include agro-industrial processing, packaging and logistics, which will increase the value chain of local food production.

The South African companies arrived in Angola on Tuesday to participate in FILDA, which ended yesterday.

He cautioned that there are tough hurdles to overcome when doing business in Angola, including the long period of time that it takes to register a business in that country.

Rocha said the top three leading countries that have established themselves in the Angolan market are the US, Brazil and China.