WTO: Cotton Partnership Africa

March 2026. 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 Yaoundé, 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.

Today the demand of annual textiles & clothing is about US$ 12bn in West and Central Africa, of which over 90% met by imports. This compares with ca. 1 million tonnes of cotton produced annually in this region across about 2.5 million hectares. The Initiative says that more than 60% of that production is certified under international sustainability schemes. 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.

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 Côte 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.

Source: World Trade Organization

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