An Italian textile machinery delegation will be on hand at the upcoming African Sourcing & Fashion Week (ASFW), to be held in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) from 3 to 6 October 2017. The companies will exhibit at the Italian pavilion organized by the Italian Trade Agency. Among these are the following ACIMIT associated members: Autotex, Bianco, Carù, Corino, Europrogetti, Fadis, Ferraro, Lonati, Loptex, Mei, Mesdan, Reggiani, SSM Giudici, Tonello, Ugolini, Willy.
In Ethiopia textile and garments industry has a long history and tradition. The sector represents the lion-share of employment in the manufacturing sector. The Ethiopian government has launched the II GTP, Growth and Transformation Plan for 2015-2020 period to promote the industry and to exploit the several bilateral trade agreements signed with Western Countries. Moreover the country is experimenting a long period of GDP growth.
In this positive economic climate, the demand for machinery by local textile companies has grown significantly. Over the past five years, Italian exports to Ethiopia have increased on average by 14 per cent annually. Their value in 2016 reached Euro3 million and in January-May period Italian sales were worth Euro1 million.
Due to the relevance of this market ACIMIT, in cooperation with Italian Trade Agency, has set up over the years an intensive programme for increasing contacts between operators from the two Countries, including institutional and commercial missions in the country and incoming missions of Ethiopian delegates in Italy. Moreover ACIMIT signed a MoU with the Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute in order to realise a textile technology centre.