Textile industry professionals call for implementation of public-private partnership agreement

Tunis: Members of the Tunisian Textile and Clothing Federation (FTTH) on Wednesday called for the continued implementation of the main guidelines of the public-private partnership agreement (2022/2026) in order to boost the sector. In a meeting with the Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Fatma Thabet Chiboub, the sector's professionals stressed the importance of encouraging companies to join the energy transformation and photovoltaic self-production programme and to invest in regional development zones. The ministry said a pilot project is underway at a company in Jebel Oust to recover and recycle used clothing as an alternative energy source. The textile and clothing sector accounts for 29% of employment in the industrial sector and provides 153,000 jobs. The sector includes almost 200 integrated companies with an international presence. Exports from these companies account for 75% of all exports from the industrial sector, according to the ministry. The trade balance of the textile and clothing se ctor will have improved by 12.5 points compared to 2022, rising from 116.5% to 129.1% in 2023, according to CETTEX. Exports from the textile and clothing sector went up 5.61% compared to 2022, reaching 9,659.31 million dinars. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse