ItalCham had the pleasure to participate in a Trade and Investment Briefing hosted by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, in collaboration with the Italian Consul General, Giulio Mignacca, in Gqeberha (Port-Elizabeth) on Friday, 11th July.

​

The well-attended session gathered representatives of local businesses with existing Italian ties, those already trading with Italy, as well as those interested in exploring opportunities in the Italian market. The discussions highlighted the wide array of activities the members of the Nelson Mandela Bay Chamber of Commerce are involved in and how strongly these businesses are rooted in the local territory.

​

The metropolitan area offers numerous opportunities across various manufacturing sectors, not exclusively automotive, but also agro-processing, wool and mohair production, and renewable energy. With over 300 days of sunshine a year, the Bay of Opportunities could serve as a great location for the proposed R103 billion Hive Hydrogen production plant, which would be powered by renewable energy sources.

​

“As a business community we are united in our belief in the potential of the Bay to be the diverse manufacturing base on the African continent. We have a strong manufacturing sector which features a number of multi-nationals which operate according to world class standards, ranging from the production of automotive components and vehicles through to beverages, confectionary and pharmaceutical products. Alongside this, just outside the Bay is the Sundays River Valley which is the second biggest citrus production area in the country, while the Eastern Cape is the top wool producing province in the country and the metro carries the title of being the mohair capital of the world, producing over half of global production,” explains Denise van Huyssteen, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.

​

For ItalCham, being part of this event meant gaining a clearer understanding of the potential that the Eastern Cape, and the Nelson Mandela Bay in particular, offers Italian companies. It allowed us to listen directly to the voices of the local business community and to strengthen ties with institutions, better positioning ItalCham to support future bilateral initiatives in the region.

​

Following the meeting, on Saturday 12th July, the Italian Men’s National Rugby Team faced the Springboks for their 18th time at the Gqeberha stadium.

​

“The positive spirit of the Nelson Mandela Bay community was evident during the Italy versus Springboks rugby game which was held at the local stadium over the weekend, attracting a very enthusiastic crowd of 44 282 people,” continues Denise van Huyssteen, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber. “It was great to see the Italian Ambassador and the Consul General make the effort to attend the game, in what has to rate as one of the best stadiums in the world.”

​

​