Page 50 - October-November-2017

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Italian textile

machinery at

African Sourcing

& Fashion week

An Italian textile machinery delegation will be on
hand at the upcoming African Sourcing & Fashion
Week (ASFW), to be held in Addis Ababa (Ethio-
pia) 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 manufactur-
ing sector. The Ethiopian government has
Italian textile machinery exports to Ethiopia (million euro)
launched the II° GTP, Growth and Transformation
Plan for 2015-2020 period to promote the industry
and to exploit the several bilateral trade agree-
ments 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% annually. Their value in 2016 reached 3
million euros and in January-May period Italian
sales were worth 1 million euros.

Due to the relevance of this market ACIMIT, in
cooperation with Italian Trade Agency, has set up
over the years an intensive program for increas-
ing contacts between operators from the two
Countries, including institutional and commercial
Italian textile machinery exports to Ethiopia by categories (January-May 2017)
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 realize a textile
technology center.

October/November 2017 October/November 2017