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Senegal kicks off economic week in Shanghai

By Chen Qide (China Daily Shanghai Bureau)
Updated: 2010-07-22 15:11

Senegal in West Africa kicked off its economic week in Shanghai Thursday (on July 22) to celebrate its Pavilion Day at the Expo Garden.

Senegal Trade Minister Amadou Niang led a delegation to highlight the event, which consists of over 50 companies in the fields of finance, manufacturing, agriculture, textiles, tourism, aquaculture, handicraft and civil engineering.

"They will talk face to face with 60 Chinese enterprises to seek the co-operation opportunities," said Niang.

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As one of the industrially-developed countries in West Africa, Senegal provides a huge market potential for Chinese companies, said Jian Heping, deputy director of Shanghai Commerce Committee.

"We encourage local enterprises to expand business in Senegal to spur the mutual economic development," said Jian at today's Sino-Senegal investment forum held at the Shanghai Grand Metro Park Jiayou Hotel.

Her words were echoed by Niang, who hopes Dakar, capital of Senegal, to establish the economic co-operation relations with Shanghai to push forward the Sino-Senegal trade.

The minister said exports from Senegal increased from $4.4 million in 2002 up to $22.4 million in 2009, while those from China rose from $71 million in 2002 to $384 million in 2009, thanks to the common effort made by the two countries.

He said Senegal has prepared 4,700 varieties of products for the Chinese market as a new effort to promote the trade with the country.

During the week, the Senegal Government will hold two conferences to probe into the ways to develop tourism and environment with Chinese enterprises from the Yangtze Delta Region.

"They will build a platform for them to develop the African market," said Niang.