The 17th annual Addis Chamber International Trade Fair (ACITF), a week-long event being held in Addis Ababa, will conclude on Wednesday February 27th.

Organized by the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association (AACCSA), the event attracted a total of 313 companies, of which 213 were foreign. The AACCSA's trade and investment promotion director, Gashaw Abate, said interest among international companies was growing at a very encouraging pace.

The number of foreign companies represented had risen by an over 73% from last year and there were companies from Italy, Turkey, Indonesia, China, India, Yemen, Sudan, Djibouti and Egypt at the Trade Fair. The attendance of Italian companies was particularly notable with 58 participants, and Turkish companies were also present in an impressive number.

Ato Gashaw said about 1,500 people had come from abroad to attend the Trade Fair. AACCSA, which first organized this event in 1995, is expecting 28,000 people to walk through the doors before the Trade Fair closes on Wednesday.