A 30-member delegation from South India will visit Comesa region of Ethiopia, Djibouti, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia in April and sign MoUs in heath, skill development, and agriculture sectors.
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) consists of 19 countries.
“In the last three months, despite having very few flights, there was a huge interest and over 30 enquiries came up for setting up businesses in our region,” said Ethiopian Ambassador Tizita Mulugeta Yimam who was here to formally inaugurate the India Africa Trade Council.
The council will open 13 offices in India to facilitate businessmen interested in trade opportunities available in African countries. These offices will work directly with embassies in Delhi and bring opportunities to places like Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
There was tremendous potential to exchange ideas in the field of agriculture and MSMEs, B. Ramakrishnan, Director of the India Africa Trade Council, said.
To start with, the trade council will establish the India Africa film commission to facilitate shootings.
SEZ planned
An Africa Special Economic Zone will come up on a 100-acre plot in Kolar for collaboration with African companies. Around 40 companies can be accommodated in this SEZ.
The trade council is in talks with a few companies in Chennai and is guiding them.
“We will bring the South Indian market closer and make it easier and more attractive to trade with Africa,” said Asif Iqbal, president of the Indian Economic Trade Organisation (IETO).
