The 38th Cairo International Fair was business as usual despite the failure of some major participants to show up this year. Eman Youssef reports The unseasonably hot weather failed to keep visitors away from the Nasr City fair ground as the Cairo International Fair opened to the public. The fair is designed as a showcase for Egyptian products, while seeing what manufacturers from other countries have to offer and concluding business deals. In addition, it has never failed to attract a sizable contingent of local citizens looking for bargains on products made in Egypt. Some 30 countries and 1,000 local and foreign companies participated in the exhibition, which was organised by the General Organisation for International Exhibitions and Fairs (GOIEF). The 10-day exhibition included pavilions representing mostly Arab and European countries displaying a vast array of products, ranging from heavy industrial machinery to stylish furniture and small household appliances. A series of seminars, workshops and presentations were organised on the fringe of the event addressing issues related to export, investment and trade promotion. Ibrahim El-Zayer, director of the Tunisian pavilion, which displayed automobile spare parts, foodstuffs and equipment, said the direct contact between business people was the most important aspect of the event. Said Ali Farid, director of the Algerian Pavilion, reiterated a similar view, saying that his country cherishes its participation because of "the successful trade agreements and transactions that we do every year". However, the number of international participants has dropped dramatically this year to 500 companies compared to 2,000 last year. Mohamed Saleh, chairman of GOIEF, told Al-Ahram Weekly that this is because of "the misperception of the Middle East's political and economic climate". Among the missing exhibitors this year are the US and the UK. But other countries were well represented. Forty Turkish companies representing the garments, household goods, chemicals and construction and building materials industries showed up, while 75 Indian and 20 German companies also took part. Other countries, meanwhile, such as France, Japan, Vietnam, Australia and Azerbaijan, were taking part for the first time. Their participation is a significant step towards boosting bilateral economic and trade ties, said Saleh. "Overseas exhibitors, including Germany, view Egypt as a gateway to regional markets," Chairman of the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce Peter Göpfrich told the Weekly. He added that the event was a good opportunity for trade agreements between German and Egyptian businessmen. While some international companies may have decided to skip the event, those who came made the most of it. According to Saleh, exhibitors reported significant increases in orders, which many had not expected.
