According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, to which VerAngola had access, it was up to the minister of Industry and Commerce, Rui Minguêns de Oliveira, to announce the big winner.
In his closing speech, the minister addressed "words of thanks on behalf of the Executive for the involvement of everyone, especially the organization", the ministry team headed by the secretary of State for Commerce and Services, Augusta Fortes, "and the exhibitors, so that the 39th edition of FILDA met expectations", the note states.
According to the Minister of Industry and Commerce, the fair "is much more than a business center, but it is also the preparation for building a better country for future generations".
On the occasion, he also highlighted the presence of the agricultural sector in this edition, having underlined the country's commitment to becoming "an essential element in guaranteeing food security, both internally, continentally and globally, in view of the challenges that humanity faces in this regard".
The awards covered a total of 24 categories and, in addition to Sonangol, the Port of Luanda also received an award in the 'Public Company' category, while ENBI won in the 'Public Utility Service' category.
Planad, FS Global and Quinta Crescente won in the 'Commerce and Services', 'Graphics, Packaging and Plastics' and 'Food and Beverage' categories, respectively.
Casais ('Civil Construction and Public Works'), TPA ('Communication and Press'), ENSA ('Insurance') and ICC Angola ('Made in Angola') also received awards.
The 'Agriculture and Fisheries' category was awarded to the Provincial Government of Namibe, while Probeauty and Anglobal won in the 'Cosmetics and Health' and 'Energy and Water' categories, respectively.
Other award winners include TAAG ('Transport and Logistics'), Vecauto ('Machinery, Equipment and Heavy Vehicles'), Ros Bien ('Industry'), Pay For All ('Digital Economy'), Multitel – Farming at a Click's Distance ('Innovators') and Standard Bank ('Brand Activation').
Portugal won the 'International' category, while the Credit Guarantee Fund won the 'Financial Services' category.
Also notable were Grupo Cosal ('Light Vehicles and Motorcycles'), Chevron ('Oil and Gas'), Banco Yetu ('Banking and Financial Services') and Unitel ('Information Technology').
Honourable mentions were also given to Unitel, the Viana administration, Sonangol, MTTI, Inema, Huawei, TIS and the province of Lunda Norte.
It should be noted that this edition of FILDA closed its doors last Sunday, with the establishment of business partnerships, especially with a view to strengthening agri-food production in Angola, being one of the highlights of the event.
More than 1700 national and international exhibitors participated in FILDA, which this year had as its theme "Food Security and International Partnership: The Binomial of Economic Diversification" and recorded the largest attendance ever.
According to the exhibitors, quoted by Angop, the fair has become a commercial event with global reach in Angola, offering a chance to solidify collaborations in the market and strengthen commercial ties.
This was the case of Luís Cassoca, manager of the Marsiris farm, who said that the result of the fair was satisfactory due to the large number of visitors and the opportunity to promote the products on display, especially rice.
Jémima Miúdo, Yokimbo's quality manager, highlighted that the event provided an opportunity to form partnerships with various institutions, especially potential suppliers of raw materials. "Our products can be found throughout the country. We have a positive balance, because here at FILDA we have managed to create great partnerships," she said in statements to Angop.
Ludieco João, the corporate products manager at Africell Businesses' sales department, also praised the success of FILDA due to the large number of visitors to its stand and the event in general.
The fair was held from 23 to 28 July in the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone and was visited by several figures, including the Portuguese Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro.
