EAC to Hold First Processing and Packaging Exhibition

The East African Community (EAC), in conjunction with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Ipack-Ima, Italy’s leading organizer of exhibitions for processing and packaging industries, will hold the first exhibition of its kind in East Africa.It will be held in Nairobi, Kenya in September 2014.An agreement to organize the exhibition was signed in Vienna yesterday by the Secretary General of EAC, Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera, the Director General of UNIDO, Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella, and the Chief Executive Officer of Ipack-Ima, Dr. Guido Corbella.“This partnership will bring new processing and packaging technologies closer to industries, particularly small and medium scale enterprises in East Africa,” said Dr. Yumkella.Amb. Sezibera described the exhibition as an important event that would provide opportunities to the region.“It will help analyse the current situation of different technologies in the field of processing and packaging in the EAC Partner States and identify potential opportunities for industrial development,” he said.“The event marks a major milestone in addressing one of the key challenges of our agro-processing, pharmaceuticals and other strategic sectors of our industrial policy. We anticipate that a good number of companies, including SMEs, will have the opportunity to access appropriate packaging and processing technologies,” said Sezibera.February this year, the same exhibition themed; Enhancing Food Safety and Food Security in Africa- Processing and Packaging Technologies, was held in Fiera Milano Exhibition Centre in Milan,Italy and attracted over 1,300 exhibitors.