By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 22 May 2014:
Speaking exclusively to Libya Herald Filipe Almeida, Manager for African Markets, Portuguese Chamber . . .[restrict]of Commerce and Industry said that this is the first time since the February 17th Revolution of 2011 that Portuguese companies participated in an exhibition in Libya with four companies.
The companies are in the windows and doors, tile manufacturing equipment, concrete-making plant and the fourth making concrete mixers sectors.
Asked if they were planning to leave early like some Italian and Spanish companies due to the security situation, Almeida said that they had no plans “to leave early and they hoped to return to Libya. It is important to be present in Libya because of the potential of the Libyan market. Portugal needs international partners in order to rebuild its economy,” Almeida explained.
Referring to Portugal’s recent economic crises and its need to receive help from the European Union, which it officially exited last week, Almeida said “we have paid our debt and now we have to rebuild our economy (by exporting) outside our (domestic) market.
Asked about Libya Build as an exhibition, he said that he was “happy the Libya Build exhibition. I go to many other exhibitions in other African countries – this is the best exhibition I have attended in Africa. We are amazed and surprised”.
With regards to the poor air conditioning and internet service at the exhibition, Almeida said that it was much worse at some sub-Saharan African exhibitions where it was ” forty degrees inside the exhibition halls, not outside! I am not happy with the lack of WiFi at Libya Build 2014 though”, he added. “We could not work with our laptops – so we wasted time”.
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