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Ahead of Food Africa Cairo 2016, Esaja caught up with Dalia Kabeel who is the operations director for Konzept Egypt. The company organises the esteem event in conjunction with IFP. Below are her rich thoughts on Egypt’s Agric, Food Processing and trade prospects across the African continent. She also touches on the historic Grand Free Trade Area (GFTA) signed in Sham Al Sheikh last year.

What is the Food Africa Cairo Expo about?

(event intro, history and objectives…) Food Africa is the leading Exhibition in Africa for the Processed Food. This is based on the numbers of Exhibitors and size. The exhibition is over around 10 000 sqm in 2 Halls and is having around 240 exhibitors.

Do Egyptian companies have the capacity to meet the growing demands of African consumers?

Yes definitely, since Egypt has a very strong agriculture, agro-processing and manufacturing capabilities and also through the free trade agreement Egypt has with most of the African Countries, the Egyptian products are very competitive in price and very good quality and therefore has a good potential for the African Continent. And also the Government of Egypt is supporting the exports through the various activities offered by the Export Councils which help and support the companies in penetrating the export markets

Do you believe that trade instruments like COMESA & the Grand Free Trade Area will accelerate trade?

 Yes of course, this gives a high competitiveness for companies to tap into bigger markets, in the specific case of Egypt, the Grand Free Trade Area is something that enables the country’s businesses to unlock the potential across Africa more.

Which African Markets do you believe have the most potential?

In no particular order, markets that excite me are: Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria & Cote D’Ivoire

Based on your experience, how are Egyptian businesses embracing the Africa opportunity?

Africa is a great Continent with lots of opportunities and major investment opportunities. And in the last years a lot of countries realized these things and started to look differently to Africa. We as part of this Continent know its value, opportunities and potentiality. And this is why we called our show Food Africa to be a regional show for the food trade not only covering Egypt but to be as a HUB or meeting place where the World Meets Africa and this was clear already since the first edition and the quality of visitors and exhibitors at the show.

Egypt has been a strong player in African development since the independence era, Do you see this continuing to grow?

Yes of course , Historically Egypt has been always a country of great impact in the continent and under the current Government of Egypt, we are more ambitious for Egypt to play a bigger role in Africa and to gain its leadership as earlier at the Independence Era.

For any further information regarding Food Africa 2016 please contact us using the contacts below:

IFP Egypt (Member of IFP Group)

Address: Alia Tower, 38 Corniche El Nile, Maadi – Cairo, Egypt

Tel: +20 2 2528 3101 / 2 Fax: +20 2 2528 3105

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.foodafrica-expo.com | www.ifpgroup.net

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