The aim of the event is to showcase new markets and projects to a Chinese investor delegation, as well as to promote inter-Africa trade within the SADC Region. Traders from SADC and China will also be able to connect and cement relationships.
"Our Chinese counterpart, COIFAIR (Chinese Overseas Investment Fair), will be at IMEXPO with a delegation of approximately one hundred investors, including representatives from some of China's major State Owned Enterprises," explains Glenn Hawes, director of Expo-International.
"Their plan is to meet and engage with both the government and private sector decision makers with the aim of investing in, and forming joint venture undertakings in the fields of infrastructure development and related industry sectors."
The expo will also be an important platform for the exhibition of SADC export ready products and services, particularly within the infrastructure components sector. Chinese infrastructure products and services will also be in the spotlight.
The SADC region, with its 15 independent countries, has a combined consumer population estimated at over 242 million people. Countries within the SADC region are politically stable and collectively hold more than 70% of Africa's total mineral wealth.
During 2010, China remained SADC's unchallenged leader in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI). These investments have created hundreds of direct and indirect jobs and brought thousands of new business opportunities through the procurement of goods and services from local suppliers.
The region is clearly a key target market for Chinese producers, manufacturers and exporters and it is becoming increasingly clear that China is willing and able to invest in solving some of the region's most pressing infrastructure and development challenges.
"We looked at what was happening and realised that the potential opportunities were going hand in hand with some really major logistical difficulties," said Hawes. "We decided that the answer was to create a forum where meaningful interactive engagement between decision makers at a high level could happen.
"We will be bringing together those looking to promote projects and to secure joint ventures with those looking to identify new or existing business opportunities, capital ventures, development projects and funding," he concludes.
Four components
