On July 14, 2003 FILDA-2003 International Trade Fair opened for the 20th time in its history in the Angolan capital Luanda. Over 500 companies from 20 countries are taking part in the fair.

Yesterday Jose Eduardo dos Santos, president of Angola, visited the fair.

He took the tour of the ALROSA exposition where considerable space is given to projects of the Russian diamond producer in Africa.

Today ALROSA is engaged in the construction of the second stage at Catoca. It is also working to establish a mining company for the commercial development of the Camatchia and Camagico pipes and begin the implementation of another construction project - of a hydroelectric power plant on the Chicapa River. These new joint ventures will enable ALROSA to increase its current diamond output in Angola nearly two-fold, as well as cut down production costs.

President Dos Santos seemed to have a favorable impression of the ALROSA stand.

The same day the company’s delegation headed by Sergey Ulin, vice-president of ALROSA, met with heads of some of the ministries and departments of Angola in charge of mining and other related projects to discuss issues of further implementation of the Russian - Angolan joint diamond projects.

The delegation was also received by the ambassador of the Russian Federation in Angola.

ALROSA's stand attracts a lot of interest and attention of Angolans and business people from other countries.

On 15 July The Day of ALROSA was held at the Fair.

Note:

ALROSA Co. Ltd.
ALROSA is a world’s major diamond producer accounting for about 25 per cent of the world diamond output. In 2002 it produced $1466 million worth of rough diamonds, its sales volume amounting to $1557 million, with $106 million from polished diamond sales. ALROSA’s production target for 2003 is $1560 million.

The company’s biggest shareholders are the Russian Ministry of State Property (37%), and the Yakutian Ministry for the Management of State Property (32%).

For more details please contact:

                Yuri Beskakotov
                ALROSA Press-Service
                E-mail: smi@alrosa.ru
                Tel.: 956-95-51

                Polina Panova
                External Affairs Department
                E-mail: polina@alrosa.ru
                Tel. 230-36-49