Organisers briefed the press Wednesday on the state of preparedness and importance.

Cameroon will from February 14-17, 2013 play host to an international exhibition code-named, “ATREXPO” on the transport industry, grouping actors in air, rail, maritime transport, urban construction of roads and bridges, insurance, financing, among others.

Organisers of the show held a news briefing in Yaounde on Wednesday August 8 to update the public on the state of preparedness and the importance of such a forum. They also spoke on its role in the socio-economic development of the Central African Sub-region and most importantly, that of the host, Cameroon, within the framework of its already outlined development plan. The site of the show, the Yaounde Conference Centre, is already booked with over a hundred thousand people expected.

ATREXPO, its Chief Executive Officer, Jay Vom Vadiveloo said, is the premier African showcase of transport technology, products, services and financing opportunities. The exhibition, he added, will bring together stakeholders from 10 African countries, in the domains of rail, maritime, aviation and land transport industries, including consulting and finance companies and builders. It will serve as an opportunity for participants to share knowledge, promote products, discover new technologies, and sell equipment and network in view of improving the not-so-good transport industry in the continent.

For four days, transport experts from across the globe will showcase their prowess in the sector through automobile exhibition. It will also provide service providers and financing agencies the opportunity to meet and share experiences that can boost their activities and by extension, the sector for the sustainable socio-economic development of the continent.

The choice of Cameroon to host the event, Jay Vom Vadiveloo said, is multi-dimensional. "The peace that reigns in the country and the good infrastructure like the Yaounde Conference Centre are motivating factors. On the other hand, Cameroon like other African countries lacks training in the sector, thus, the exchange between international experts and their Cameroonian counterparts will greatly help the country in its drive for emergence,” he said.