A boost for South-South trade

The International Trade Centre (ITC) participates with over 50 companies from 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean in the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. They are among 3500 exhibitors vying for business in the Chinese market. This year, 100 developing countries are represented, including 37 least developed countries.  

ITC has brought micro, small and medium-sized enterprises from developing countries to CIIE since its first edition in 2018. ITC prepares the companies to get a better understanding of the Chinese market and trade regulations and, once in China, connects them to potential buyers through field trips, business-to-business meetings, and one-to-one support during the fair. 

‘This is my first time at CIIE with ITC’s support, and I have already made many connections with potential partners and agents’, said Bagty Annayeva of logistics and transport company ES Mermer Kemar from Turkmenistan. Also a first-time participant, Josefina Correira de Araoujo, Export Promotion Manager at TradeInvest Timor-Leste, has accompanied two of her country’s agribusiness companies to CIIE: ‘This is a great opportunity for our young entrepreneurs to learn and connect with buyers in China’.   

‘We established contact with over 20 potential buyers during last year’s CIIE. We are grateful to be back and to build on the success, ‘ said Dagmawit Aynalem Abebe, Founder of Kedemt Coffee Trading from Ethiopia during the launch ceremony of ‘Unlocking Opportunities: SME Stories in South-South Trade Facilitation at CIIE’, a snapshot of small business success, jointly published by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), ITC and the CIIE Bureau. UNOSSC Director Dima Al-Khatib and CIIE Bureau representative Sangzhe Song joined ITC in highlighting the increasing opportunities in the context of South-South trade, investment and triangular cooperation.  

At the halfway point through the 5-day event this year, many of the companies present at ITC’s agribusiness, consumer goods and services booths have already reported business leads or have signed contracts. And business linkages develop amongst the participating companies and with other exhibitors, not only with Chinese buyers.