NAIROBI, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenya will host an exhibition early December where hundreds of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) drawn from the six East African Community (EAC) member states will showcase their products, officials said on Friday.

Chris Kiptoo, principal secretary in the state department of trade, said the eight-day exhibition is to be held in the north rift town of Eldoret.

"Kenya is privileged to host the rotational EAC expo whose objective is to promote dialogue among small-scale enterprises in the region, enhance integration and showcase new investments opportunities in this critical sector," Kiptoo told reporters.

An estimated 1,500 small and medium-sized enterprises are expected to participate in the Dec. 2-10 regional expo where they will showcase a range of products like leather and textile, household appliances, edible oils and machinery.

The annual EAC expo that has taken place on rotational basis since 1999 has provided a platform for informal traders to network and share expertise that can foster growth of their businesses.

Peter Biwott, chief executive officer of export promotion council said that discussions around market access, capacity building and aggregation of small business owners will feature prominently at the upcoming regional expo.