[b]Highlight below: If Diah is a woman she is the chairwoman. If a

Highlight below: If Diah is a woman she is the chairwoman. If a man he is the chairman. Not the chairperson.

;JP;FIT; ANPAf..r.. Brief-trade-exhibtion RI firms get contracts during expo JP/14/Brief

JAKARTA: Indonesian businesspeople clinched millions of dollars worth of deals during a recent trade exhibition in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates.

The Indonesia Solo Exhibition (ISE), which was held between Sept. 16 and Sept. 20, displayed Indonesian products such as textiles, paper, chemicals, as well as leisure and banking services. The exhibition was aimed at potential buyers in the Gulf countries.

In the first three days of the exhibition, Indonesian businesspeople secured deals valued at US$5 million, the National Export Development Agency (BPEN), the exhibition's organizer, said in a statement.

BPEN chairperson Diah Maulida said many of the exhibition participants had sold out all of their merchandise.

Diah said BPEN planned to hold another exhibition in Sharjah next year, with even more participants. Some 300 Indonesian businesspeople participated in the ISE this year.

The four-day exhibition attracted 20,712 visitors, according to BPEN. -- JP