Nov 04, 2009 (Mmegi/The Reporter/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Exhibitors from as far afield as Brazil, China and India will showcase their products and services at Global Expo, the annual trade exhibition that begins tomorrow at the Gaborone Fairgrounds.

The organisers of the event, the Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA), said yesterday that preparations were at an advanced stage and for the show in which 185 exhibitors had already confirmed participation.

BEDIA's Deputy Director of Public Relations, Kungo Lentswe, said 70 of these exhibitors were Botswana-based companies while no less than 10 companies would be coming from emerging market, Brazil, which first appeared in the show last year with only one company.

Brazilian exhibitors will showcase products like fruit juice, milk powder, coffee, wine, ice cream, dental care products, water tanks, fibreglass cover sheets, pharmaceutical products, leather footwear and furniture.

A Brazilian trade agency, which has offices in South Africa, is participating to help traders interested in doing business with Botswana.

BEDIA, which has an office in India, has attracted 15 exhibitors and investors from the Asian country in the areas of aluminium, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, leather footwear and high fashion garments, solar appliances, industrial projects, engineering and handicrafts. The Indian contingent will also conduct a market survey and look for possible joint venture partners in Botswana.

BEDIA has organised workshops for visitors and local exhibitors to learn more about doing business in regional economies like Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

"We want exporters who are interested in doing business in countries like Angola to get first hand knowledge on how they can grow their business to benefit from that market," Lentswe said.

Exhibitors will also get a chance to attend investment forums on topics like procurement, short-term financing and the power situation in Botswana. The Diamond, Transport and Innovation Hubs are expected to make presentations at the expo.

At a press conference earlier this year, former BEDIA CEO who is now the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Dorcas Makgato-Malesu, said she was confident that despite the global downturn which was drying up liquidity needed for trading, they would reach targeted exhibitors.

She said they were targeting 250 exhibitors for this year and 6, 000 visitors, compared to 4000 in 2008. However, indications from last week show that only 185 exhibitors had confirmed attendance. Lentswe said there were several reasons for cancellations, especially by the textile industry who cited the global recession as their reason for not attending this year's business to business trade exhibition.

BEDIA is looking at netting P60 million worth of business transactions this year. Last year, P50 million worth of business transactions were realised, up by P8 million from 2007.

This year's Global Expo, which also aims to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), will be held under the theme: "Unlocking Opportunities in the Current Global Recession."While the exhibition's profile is multisectoral, more emphasis is on agribusiness, the leather industry, ICT, tourism, power and renewable energy.

In a move geared to lure more visitors, this year's Global Expo will have a cultural day that will offer Setswana cuisine, an artwork display, performances by cultural groups and children's entertainment.

<<Mmegi/The Reporter. Distributed AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). -- 11/05/2009>>