Tunisia plans to raise its textile and clothing exports to a budget of 4 bn euros by 2023 towards the European Union, announced recently the Head of the Tunisian Government, Youssef Chahed. On the side-lines of an annual congress of the Tunisian Federation of Textile Apparel (FTTH) in Sousse, Chahed hoped to see his country back in the Top 5 global textile exporters back the European Union (EU).
“By 2023, we are committed to generating 50,000 additional jobs in this vital sector for economic growth,” reassured the Head of the Tunisian Government, addressing professionals in this sector. According to Chahed, “The main slogan of this congress (Textile-clothing: responsibility, strategy and development) flows directly into the heart of our new government economic policy, to be in line with the new situation and that will have a participatory aspect.”
“While the State will guarantee horizontal measures, the private sector will ensure the implementation of goals related to investment, exports, employability and innovation,” said the Head of the Tunisian Prime Minister. A document circulated on this occasion specifies that the first edition of this congress is of particular importance since, for the first time, the manufacturers expose to the competent authorities their perception of the boom of the textile-clothing sector.
Indeed, a “pilot recovery plan” has been proposed by these manufacturers to public sector decision makers to detail the strengths of this sector, these potential for exports but also the main shortcomings that hamper its recovery. Throughout 2018, Tunisian total exports were able to achieve an increase of 19.1 per cent against 18.1 per cent in 2017. As for global imports, the pace was also upwards of 20 per cent against 19.8 per cent in 2017. In the textile-clothing and leather sector, exports in 2018 registered an increase of 18.6 per cent.
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