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Business News of Tuesday, 28 September 2004

Source: GNA

Organisers of Ghana Expo to include other African countries

(From: Beatrice Akua Asamani, GNA Special Correspondent, Atlanta, USA)

Atlanta (US), Sept. 28, GNA - The organisers of Ghana Expo, encouraged by the organisational success and business prospects of the Atlanta Trade and Investment Fair, say they would repeat the event next year at the same place, but with the inclusion of other African countries.

In an interview with Journalists after the four-day event, Mr Kwame Owusu Afriyie, Director of Expo Africa, said South Africa, Nigeria, The Gambia, Senegal, Mozambique and Botswana were likely to be involved in the event, which show-cases Africa's investment and trade potentials outside the Continent for joint venture investments.

Mr Afriyie said he was happy that the teething problems of Ghana Expo, mainly in the areas of low publicity and poor patronage, associated with the maiden event in London had been overcome. "Atlanta has been a huge success," he said. "Within the first couple of days, some of the exhibits were sold out. But the biggest prospect is in the match-making session where we are hearing so many success stories."

One-on-one meeting were organised for some of the 400 exhibitors and potential Ghanaian investors to explore joint partnership avenues in textiles and garments industry, information technology, timber, construction, food and agriculture, travel and tourism and other areas. Mr Afriyie commended the Governor, Mayor and people of Atlanta for their great interest and participation in the event at the Georgia World Congress Centre.

"Unlike London, the people in authority here received the event as their own and worked for its success and even people in South Carolina, Philadelphia and Phoenix called to ask me about the event when I was hosted on a local radio station," he said.