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Adding value to cotton in Africa can drive inclusive growth, ministers and agency heads say

Investment in the cotton, textiles and garments sector can help transform economic development in Central and West Africa, said speakers at a high-level event on the eve of the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaound?, Cameroon, on 25 March and at the opening ceremony on 26 March. Ministers, heads of international agencies, development finance institutions, private sector partners and FIFA representatives highlighted the opportunities for Africa to weave its way up the value chain to accelerate economic growth.

Adding value to cotton in Africa can drive inclusive growth, ministers and agency heads say

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• Cotton
• Agriculture

- 14th WTO Ministerial Conference

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The high-level event marked the launch of a new phase under the Partenariat pour le Coton (PPC) initiative, with a focus on mobilizing investment to accelerate the transformation of the cotton-to-textile-and-garment value chain.

Today, around 98% of the region's cotton is exported as raw fibre, although the region has the potential to position itself as a gateway for processing and transformation into textiles and garments, speakers underlined.

"We are on the cusp of creating a modern textiles and garment industry across West and Central Africa," said WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Analysis by the PPC shows that USD 5 billion in investment and capacity-building support could generate around 500,000 direct jobs, such as textile manufacturing, transport and even fashion design, with women and youth among those set to benefit.

The initiative, which builds on the leadership of the "C-4+" group of countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali, plus C?te d'Ivoire), aims to position the region as a gateway for cotton processing and industrial development.

At the event, PPC partners also launched the " Africa Textile Invest " platform, a new tool to support investors by providing a single access point to information on country data, industrial zones and a pipeline of investment opportunities.

"This new portal is an example of how we can translate the vision of the C-4+ into concrete action," said the Managing Director of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Mr. Gunther Berger, reaffirming UNIDO's commitment to support the development of industrial capacities across the cotton-textile-garment value chain. He also highlighted that industrial development is the bridge that connects natural resources to global markets.

"The future of African cotton lies in value addition," said the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), Pamela Coke-Hamilton. "Through this partnership, we'll strengthen the cotton value chain across the continent, including through private-sector investment, so farmers and small businesses capture more value at home. This will change thousands of lives."

Cameroon's Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, also addressed the event, along with ministers from the C-4+ group, development partners and private sector representatives.

Other contributors to the High-Level Panel Discussion were Gherzi Textile Organisation, the Bank of Industry, Arise IIP, Africa Export Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Development Bank, the Islamic Trade Finance Corporation and Scan-Thor, whose insights enriched the dialogue.

At the opening ceremony of MC14, Dr. George Elombi, the President and Chairman of Afreximbank told the assembled ministers that African cotton will be an engine of growth, with the bank providing the investment power.

"Within 15 to 20 years, Africa will be out of the cotton export business, and fully in to exports of textiles and clothing, ensuring more money stays improving lives and livelihoods across the continent," he pledged to hundreds of attendees.

On the eve of the Conference, FIFA representatives and Cameroonian football legends - including Samuel Eto'o - unveiled new tee-shirts and polo shirts produced by Benin from African cotton for the FIFA Football for Schools programme.

In addition, the ITC and the WTO organized a fashion show featuring a cotton-themed catwalk. A reception after the event showcased the creative work of designers from the C-4+ countries as well as Nigeria and Cameroon, complemented by demonstrations by traditional cotton artisans and jewellers.

Background?

Launched at MC13 in Abu Dhabi, the Partenariat pour le Coton (PPC) is a flagship initiative that bridges the WTO's discussions on the development dimension of cotton with tangible industrialization and investment efforts across West and Central Africa. As a multistakeholder support mechanism, bringing together committed international organizations, finance institutions and private-sector partners, the PPC supports the C-4+ countries in mobilizing the investment needed to transform the cotton-to-textile value chain and to translate trade into meaningful development outcomes.

The initiative aims to support the C-4+ countries in mobilizing USD 5 billion in investment over a 10-year period, generating USD 6 billion in value-added products, and enabling the region to position itself as a competitive West and Central African cotton and textile gateway for investment. The PPC seeks to leverage trade and investment to produce sustained and inclusive development gains.

Following the successful completion of its diagnostic phase (2024-2025), which identified priority investment areas across the C-4+ countries, the PPC is now entering a critical implementation phase. To effectively support countries in attracting investment, a combination of donor funding, blended finance solutions and risk mitigation instruments must be mobilized at scale.?

MC14 comes at a pivotal moment, providing an opportunity to reinforce commitment in the cotton sector, catalyse investment and accelerate the emergence of a stronger, more integrated regional cotton textile/garment ecosystem across West and Central Africa.?

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