Sweden and the International Trade Centre will strengthen international competitiveness of textile and clothing producers in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. The program will 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.

Creating long-term and better-paid work, especially for women and young people, is a key goal of the project along with boosting exports, creating jobs and raising incomes across the Middle East and North African region. Another goal will be to strengthen regional economic integration among the four countries.

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. This will involve improving internal management processes and service portfolio development.

The project will also work directly with domestic enterprises, providing advisory services, training and coaching designed to help firms move up the value chain from cutting and sewing to fabric sourcing, product and design development and branding. The vast majority of products from Morocco and Tunisia go to the European Union, while Egypt’s and Jordan’s top export destination is the United States.