Vietnam shows off flagship products at Africa’s biggest trade fair

The 23rd SAITEX from June 19 – 21 draws nearly 700 businesses from more than 30 countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. More than 20,000 people have visited the biggest annual international trade event in Africa. 

Ten Vietnamese enterprises are showcasing their products there. They include Dong Xuan Knitting Co. Ltd specialising in apparel, Thach Ban Group JSC working on construction materials, and Delta Food JSC providing processed food. 

Other goods on display are housewares, furniture items, silk, ceramics, confectionary and beverages. 

In the morning of June 19 alone, the Vietnamese pavilion welcomed over 1,000 visitors, including officials of the ruling African National Congress party, the Indonesian and Pakistan ambassadors, and representatives from the diplomatic corp and trade offices of some African and Asian nations. 

Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade Tran Thi Phuong Lan said the city authorities encouraged its businesses to participate in trade promotion activities, especially in new markets like South Africa and other African nations. 

The SAITEX is a great opportunity for Hanoi-based companies to boost the export of key products like garments, handicrafts, processed food, building materials and housewares to Africa, she added. 

Trade turnover between Vietnam and South Africa has reached US$1.2 billion – a bright spot of the Southeast Asian country’s economic activities in Africa, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Le Huy Hoang.