Cameroon is seeking to strengthen its textile and apparel industry by drawing on Tunisia’s industrial expertise, as the Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry launched discussions with the Textile Technical Centre to accelerate domestic cotton processing and value-added textile production.
The talks took place during an economic mission to Tunisia led by Martin Paul Mindjos Momeny, where both organizations explored opportunities for long-term technical and industrial cooperation.
Building a Complete Cotton Value Chain
According to CAPEF, the discussions focused on transforming Cameroon’s cotton sector from a raw material supplier into a fully integrated textile manufacturing industry.
Although Cameroon produces more than 300,000 tonnes of cotton annually, much of its harvest is exported without further processing due to limited domestic industrial capacity.
The proposed cooperation aims to develop the entire cotton value chain, including cotton production, spinning, weaving, garment manufacturing and the marketing of finished textile products.
The initiative also supports Cameroon’s industrialization strategy while helping manufacturers capitalize on opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
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Tunisia Shares Textile Development Experience
During the visit, El Mohsen Missaoui presented Tunisia’s textile development model, highlighting investments in technology, innovation, quality control, workforce training and industrial support services.
The two organizations discussed how Tunisia’s experience could help accelerate the growth of Cameroon’s textile and clothing industries.
Focus on Skills, Technology and SMEs
The proposed partnership covers several areas of cooperation, including:
- Technology transfer for textile manufacturing
- Quality control and product certification
- Training programs for textile professionals and artisans
- Support for small and medium-sized textile enterprises
- Production of professional workwear
- Manufacturing of printed fabrics for African markets
- Triangular cooperation projects involving European and international partners
Technical Working Group Established
At the conclusion of the meetings, CAPEF and CETTEX agreed to establish a technical working group responsible for preparing a structured cooperation program.
The proposal will be submitted to both the Cameroonian and Tunisian governments through existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms.
The initiative forms part of Cameroon’s National Development Strategy (NDS30), which aims to increase domestic value addition in agriculture-based industries while reducing dependence on exports of unprocessed raw materials.
