The Government of Sweden and the International Trade Center (ITC) have announced a new program aimed at strengthening the international competitiveness of textiles and clothing producers in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.

The program targets boosting exports, creating jobs and raising incomes across the Middle East and North Africa region, the ITC website reported on Monday.

The three-year program is intended to support the four countries to build sustainable export-oriented sectors with increased sales to traditional markets in Europe and North America along with new markets in sub-Saharan Africa.

To achieve lasting improvements in the sector’s export competitiveness, the project will focus on bolstering the capacities of national institutions such as textile and clothing business associations and training centers to help better support local businesses to export.
The project ‘Strengthening the International Competitiveness of the Textile and Clothing Sector in selected Middle East and North African Countries’ (MENATEX), is funded with SEK 42 million ($4.63m) from the Swedish government and will be implemented by the Geneva-based ITC in close collaboration with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency .

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