Import-export business in focus at W.A. summit

A MEETING between textile and clothing dealers from the West African Economic and Monetary Union member states (UEMOA), the African Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) and the three Mekong Francophone countries, namely Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, was being held Tuesday in Cotonou.

“The main purpose of the Cotonou meeting is to bring together import-export textile and clothing companies from the three economic areas, namely CEMAC, UEMOA and Mekong,” said the Director of the Division of Trade Support Services, Ms Aïcha Pouye.

As for Ms Pouye, this event will enable companies exporting those products to have a better knowledge of quantity and quality needs for importers from these areas as well as trading procedures.

According to her, the global textile and clothing import products in the UEMOA area amount to US$3.3 billion US in 2008 of which 1.5 billion for materials made of at least 85 per cent cotton.

Concerning the six CEMAC member states, she continued, the import level was estimated, in 2008, at more than US$500 million of which over $100 million for materials containing at least 85 per cent cotton.As regards exports, she emphasised, they stand for more than $120 million of which 113 million for non-carded cotton.

“However, it would be noted that a very small extent of this trade with the rest of the world result from direct commercial deals between economic operators from the UEMOA, the CEMAC as well as the Mekong countries, despite the fact that they all belong to the Francophone area,” she deplored.