Luanda: The Italian Agency for the Promotion of Foreign Trade and Internationalization of Companies (ICE) has announced ambitious plans to escalate the number of Angolan companies trained for exports to Europe from 100 to 160. Marlia Damio, a senior market analyst at ICE, revealed this during the 41st edition of the Angola International Fair (FILDA) 2026.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the agency's program already includes 100 Angolan companies prepared for exporting to European markets. The upcoming edition of the program, scheduled for September in Huambo province, aims to train an additional 50 to 60 national companies. A key initiative within this program is the Lab Innova for Africa, which focuses on equipping managers of agricultural and agri-food companies with skills in international negotiation and export preparation, particularly targeting Italy as a primary market.
Damio highlighted that Angolan products meet high-quality standards and certification requirements, positioning them well for entry into the European market. At FILDA, ICE introduced ten companies, predominantly from the technology sector, that specialize in precision agricultural machinery, grain processing equipment, and machinery for the defense sector's production of shoes and boots.
The event also spotlighted the growing importance of recycling companies in Angola, a sector receiving significant investment. Damio emphasized Italy's commitment to contributing to Angola's economic growth through these industries. She noted the positive trajectory of trade relations between Angola and Italy, marked by an increase in Angolan imports of Italian machinery.
In 2022, the trade exchange between the two countries was approximately 1.5 billion euros, a decrease from the over two billion euros recorded in 2014. FILDA, Angola's largest business fair, continues until Sunday, featuring 2,348 national and international exhibitors. Industry leads participation with 34% of exhibitors, followed by agribusiness, agriculture, and fishing at 13%. Commerce and distribution make up 12%, while the service sector accounts for 11% of the participants.
