Trade fair participation increases by 34 percent despite budget cut

Participation to this year’s Rwanda International Trade Fair (RITF) has registered an increase from 312 participants last year to 419 this year according to officials. Information availed to Business Times also indicates that this year’s expo budget has also been cut to Rwf160 million from Rwf428 million last year. The reason for the cut was because last year’s capital budget was charged with putting up initial infrastructure. The 12th exhibition will kick off from the 30th of July to 10th August from the main exhibition grounds in Gikondo. According to Nasta Munara, the in charge of the permanent expo secretariat, the increase in the number of participants was due to Private Sector Federation (PSF)’s establishment of a permanent expo secretariat. “The secretariat has done all the preparations for this international trade fair unlike in the past where we hired foreign experts to do it,” said Munara. The increase is also attributed to early mobilization of exhibitors, a two months marketing and advertisement campaign. The secretariat also stressed the importance of the local companies taking part in exhibitions as giving opportunities to local companies to showcase their innovation, sharing experience with international companies and strike business partnerships. The number of international exhibitors has increased from 93 last year to 119 exhibitors while the local exhibiting companies also shot up to 300 from 219. In order to accommodate the new number of exhibitors, the stands have also been increased from 621 last year to 654.Besides participants from the East African region, countries that have confirmed participation include Egypt, Ghana, Dubai, Turkey and Brazil while China, Hong Kong and South Africa are yet to confirm. The exhibiting sectors will include manufacturing, service, art and craft, agribusiness fruits and beverage as well as entertainment among others. The ministry of trade and industry which is the line ministry has given Rwf19 million for the preparation compared to last year’s Rwf40 million. “Some of the challenges we still face include inadequate infrastructure and equipments,” added Munara. Ends

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Trade fair participation increases by 34 percent despite budget cut