Belgian Trade Mission Aiming to Cement Ties With Angola

(IDEX Online News) – Belgium's Princess Astrid will be leading a trade delegation to Angola in a bid to boost relations between the two countries' diamond sectors.

The mission will take place between October 20-27, and follows the Angolan Diamond Centenary Conference last month where the Angolan government and state-owned diamond firm Endiama appealed to foreign investors to help develop the country's diamond sector.

High-level meetings between Angolan and Belgian officials are planned, as are networking opportunities and workshops, connecting Belgian companies from a wide array of industries with their Angolan counterparts.

On October 21, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre will hold a networking event in the presence of Princess Astrid and top officials of the Belgian and Angolan governments.

The meeting will enable Antwerp diamond companies to meet with key players in the Angolan diamond industry, including government officials, representatives from Endiama and Angolan diamond marketing firm Sodiam, as well as domestic and international diamond mining and manufacturing companies.

Also taking part in the trade mission will be Didier Reynders, Federal Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs, and Kris Peeters, Minister-President and Minister for Economy, Foreign Policy, Agriculture and Rural Policy, Government of Flanders.