Preparations are at a Higher Gear

The carpenters and work men at hammering the last nails to perfect the exhibition stands

The Douala International Development Fair, DIDF which is the first of its kind to be organised in Douala will take place on April 15 to 26 at the Ekindi Joel compound located very close to the River Wouri in Deido. The fair according to the main organiser Jean Jacque Ekindi is not like the ordinary trade fairs which used to take place but this type is oriented more towards development. This he explained concerns producers and it is hoped will boost production in the agricultural, industrial spheres. He explained there will be a village for the agricultural aspect which could be more like an agric show, a village for live stock and a villager for fisheries. There will also be companies, financial houses, supermarkets, administrative offices, Tractafric will exhibit cars and also some Dutch cars will be exhibited among others.
The objective of the trade fair is to fight against poverty, to secure the vulnerable population of food, to engage the population into development in other to achieve millennium goals, to ameliorate the circulation of economic information and the distribution of products and to prepare the economy to resist the opening of the interior market towards the APE.
In this light, during the fair, each minister will have to take the podium each day to give a talk on development in the sector he is concerned.
Talking about the partners to the trade far, Ekindi said because of time he did not succeed to conclude agreement with most of his foreign partners but since this is just the maiden edition, he said by next year arrangements will be reached. He said the government took a long time to give the go ahead. Nevertheless, he said there will be an American booth present. He said time was short to tighten links with Nigeria, South Africa, and Ivory Coast. He said the fair will take place every year in the month of April. He added that he did not also conclude arrangements with the general Manager of Cameroon Tribune Marie Claire Nnana for the paper to give exclusive publication as well as CRTV.
The fair is organised in collaboration with the government, Camtel, SNH and the Douala City Council. The City Council is arranging the road that leads to the trade fair ground, the road has been graded and tarred. He said the government has disbursed some money to aid the organisation but added that he has not yet received a penny to finalise arrangements.
As for entry fee, he said it will be FCFA 200, and there will be concerts on Wednesdays, Fridays Saturdays and Sundays which will feature Joe Masso, Sergo Polo, among others.
Gastronomy is never lacking in trade fairs and there is an area allocated closed to the river for gastronomy.
EFFA TAMBENKONGHO