Argentinian trade fair underway in Angola after Kirchner visitBy ARNALDO VIEIRA in Luanda and Agencies | Saturday, May 19  2012 at  15:36

Argentina President Cristina Kirchner at the tail end of a two-day visit to Angola Friday opened an exhibition for her country's manufactured goods with 400 Argentine exhibitors attending.

The week-long fair will be open to the public and is intended to promote Argentina's economy and create bilateral trade partnerships.

" We want this co-operation to permit the diversification of the Angola economy, create jobs and promote development,” Ms Kirchner said.

“We have many common things and opportunities and the cooperation between the two states can be extended to the domains of health, particularly the production of medicines," she added.

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos backed the growing relationship.

"We will take advantage of Argentina's development [acumen] to develop our country” he said.

An Angolan envoy said that a credit line of $100m had been established for entrepreneurs.

The two leaders said they plan to sign new cooperation agreements soon, though President Kirchner wrapped up the visit to Luanda with no news on an oil-for-food pact.

"Our economies are complementary because of Angola's immense wealth in oil, diamonds and gas and our own potential as the world's largest agricultural producer," Ms Kirchner had said during a reception at Angola's presidential palace.

"I believe we have the opportunity to show the world that another development model is possible, different from that of financial accumulation."

Mr dos Santos cited upcoming education and cultural agreements "without a doubt as a good base for the enrichment of our mutual knowledge with new information."

During Ms Kirchner's two-day visit she pushed for a deal to exchange her country's food for Angolan oil, though no agreements for this were signed.

The nations discussed cooperation in trade, agriculture, technology and science.