Egyptian textile industry is of utmost importance to the national economy, has it contributes 3% to the GDP, employs about one third of the industrial labour manpower, and exports $2.6bn, 15% of Egyptian non-petroleum exports, said the Egptian Ministry of Industry and Trade Tarek Kabil. Egypt to enhance its cotton to local and global markets (cotton from seed to cladding) to local and global markets (cotton from seed to cladding) has signed a €1.5m protocol with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Italian Development Cooperation.

Kabil said that the project’s duration is two years and includes the qualification of 400 cotton farmers on the sustainable agricultural practices of organic cotton. It also includes strengthening the productive capacities of 15 companies from the private sector working in the textile industry, improving skills of 10 traders and retailers and development skills of 300 workers in the field of agriculture as well as that of technicians and professionals working in textile companies.

Furthermore, the implementation of training programmes for 300 students in industrial and agricultural schools and capacity building for six technical support institutions and specialised centres.

The project also aims to improve the economic performance of projects operating in the field of manufacturing long-staple cotton, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), developing supply chains, managing production, and developing industrial technologies and marketing systems.

Giovanna Ceglie, Director and UNIDO Representative at Egypt said that the new project will benefit from UNIDO’s experience in the value chain system, and it will promote organic cotton and support cotton manufacturing through optimal and efficient use of resources.

The project aims to enhance the pioneering and technical skills of Egyptian youth working in the fields of cotton cultivation to meet local and global market requirements and developing the innovation system in the textile sector.