International trade fair kicks off in Mozambique

Mozambique's 50th International Trade Fair (FACIM) kicked off on Monday in the capital city Maputo, gathering about 2,700 companies from nearly 30 countries across the world.
Mozambican President Armando Guebuza opened the fair, praising the economic development the country has been registering in the past couple of years.
The fair, under the theme "Expanding the horizon of your business, optimizing synergies," is considered as one of the most competitive editions during the fair's 50 years of developing history, with 700 companies more compared to the previous year.
The fair brings representatives from 26 countries, most of whom are traditional participants such as Brazil, South Africa, China, Portugal, all listed among the major investors in Mozambique.
"Investors' desire in Mozambique has grown and FACIM is the mirror of the country's growing economy," said Joao Macarringue, the general director of the Export Promotion Institute IPEX, one of the organizers for this event.
The organizer acknowledges that there were some problems with space, to accommodate other companies that were interested in exhibiting their products, exchanging experience as well as to identifying new opportunities for doing business in Mozambique.
As an indicator of the fair's importance, it counts on the participation of prominent figures, such as Deputy Prime Minister of Portugal Paulo Portas, who chairs a delegation from Portugal in the event.
After the official opening of the fair, Portas held a meeting with President Guebuza and Finance Minister Manuel Chang to discuss further cooperation between the two countries.
China, also one of the traditional participants in the fair, is expected to host on Tuesday a meeting between China and Portuguese speaking countries.
Italy is also present in the fair headed by Deputy Economic Minister Carlo Calenda, with 90 Italian companies exhibiting their products in the fair.
Mozambique's positive economic performance, regular discoveries of natural gas and coal, minerals and other resources are listed among the attractions that make different countries to attend the event and get on the track for the promising market, the IPEX director says.
The international trade fair stands among the main events inherited by Mozambique from the Portuguese colonialism system.
Its first edition was held in 1964 and lately has been used by the Mozambican authorities to portrait the country's potential.
Last year, the event welcomed about 82,000 visitors against 68, 000 expected in the 2012 edition, and this year, 75,000 people are expected to visit the fair during the week-long event.