The event was presented this Thursday at a press conference, where the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rui Miguêns, stated that, given the new political and administrative division, the fair was now geographically located in the province of Icolo e Bengo, and will now be called the International Fair of Angola.
However, due to the symbolism of the name, the name FILDA [resulting from the previous name of the International Fair of Luanda] will also be maintained, the minister stressed.
"For now, we will keep the name FILDA, because it represents a historical moment, and later, with some peace of mind, we will find a different name, if necessary", he stressed.
In turn, the chairman of the board of directors of the Arena group, Bruno Albernaz, said that this edition's motto is "50 Years Consolidating Angola's Economic Independence and Integration into the World".
Regarding Portugal's participation, Bruno Albernaz said that 24 Portuguese companies have so far confirmed their participation, and will exhibit their businesses in their own 300 square meter pavilion.
"Portugal is a traditional partner of FILDA, and this year it will also be there with a pavilion. It is once again one of the pavilions with the largest international participation. It confirms once again what it has been as a traditional partner with many companies, not only in the Portuguese pavilion, which is organized by AICEP [Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade], but also by companies that come individually," he said.
Bruno Albernaz said that around 1,182 companies have already confirmed their participation, of which 93 percent are Angolan, and the expectation is to exceed the 1,700 participants of the last edition.
Brazil, Portugal, Indonesia, Belarus, Turkey, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Namibia, Italy, Mozambique, the British Virgin Islands, Zambia, Germany, South Africa, South Korea and Poland are the countries that have already confirmed their participation, while the United States of America, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Spain and a Swedish company have also expressed interest in participating.
"Previously, FILDA was the opposite, with much more international participation than national participation, and this year the increasingly effective confirmation of a greater number of Angolan companies, that is, an increasing number of Angolan made-in-Angolan industries, an increasing number of Angolan manufacturing industries, an increasing number of Angolan service and agricultural companies", highlighted Bruno Albernaz.
At the 40th edition of the Angola International Fair, the growth in the participation of companies from the agribusiness, agriculture, livestock and fishing, and manufacturing and extractive industries sectors stands out, indicators that are increasing in relation to the previous year.
This year, there will be a new Angolan culture hall, which will feature an exhibition of paintings, handicrafts, poetry and literature, in the context of the country's 50th anniversary of independence, which it will celebrate on 11 November this year, as well as a pavilion dedicated solely to the automotive sector.
Rui Miguêns stressed that the fact that a significant number of companies from participating countries gather every year is proof that "there is no loss of interest in the fair, that businesspeople, starting with Angolans, but also foreigners, see the fair as an important vehicle for promoting their businesses and for doing and concluding deals".
