The Department of Trade and Industry will offer guidance to foreign investors and local exporters at this year’s Auto Africa, recognising the show’s value as a platform for export growth.
The Department of Trade and Industry will offer guidance to foreign investors and local exporters at this year’s Auto Africa, recognising the show’s value as a platform for export growth.
Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA), a division of the Department of Trade and Industry, focuses on promoting sectors of the South African economy that show the greatest growth potential and marketability. The automotive and transport sector represents the third largest growth sector in the economy and exports are expected to increase to R75-billion by 2005.
Automotive exports accounted for about 12 per cent of South Africa’s total exports in 2001. This increased from a mere 4,1 per cent in 1995, when the industry generated R4,2 billion in exports.
Auto Africa Expo 2002 conference manager, Pula Dippenaar, said the South African automotive industry’s integration into the global arena had established the event as an important platform for high-level discussions.
“An international business lounge has been established to facilitate business discussions and negotiations between relevant people in the industry and TISA,” said Dippenaar. She added that TISA had been responsible for attracting more than 45 foreign delegates to the exhibition.
TISA would also provide Auto Africa Expo 2002 trade visitors with expertise relating to South Africa’s participation in a number of preferential trade relationships, such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, its role as an active member of the World Trade Organisation and its commitment to increasing South Africa’s global competitiveness.
“TISA works closely with 18 export councils that are geared to give guidance to exporters, assist in finding potential markets for products and provide a cohesive, industry-based voice for exporters,” said Dippenaar.