Representatives of the huge Belgian industrial group Fabrimetal have just visited the Ivory Coast to discuss ways of increasing the flourishing trade between the two countries.

Ivory Coast exports to Belgium were worth 6,900 million Central African francs (about 10.2 million sterling) last year. Belgian exports to the Ivory Coast remained at 3,000 million Central African francs (about 5.1 million sterling).

The Ivory Coast exported wood, cocoa and tropical fruits, Fabrimetal provided nearly half the Belgian exports with items like machine presses for making oil products.

Febrimetal's Managing Director M. Jean de Staercke and his colleagues were investigating how firms in his group could help the Ivory Coast's developing industry.

The Febrimetal delegation were shown round the port of Abidjan and other industrial areas. They also met representatives of the Ivory Coast's Foreign and Finance Ministers.