Industrial competitiveness​

GTEX supporting second largest industry of Kyrgyzstan 

ITC’s Global Textiles and Clothing Programme (GTEX) and its related work in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia aims to create jobs and increase the income of small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the textile and clothing industry (T&C). Strengthening the sector and boosting exports will have an enormous impact as the entire garment industry employs up to an estimated 150,000 people, 90% of whom are women. Most of the businesses are also women-owned. 

In Kyrgyzstan, ITC invests in educational institutions such as the “Industria Kadrov” training centre to link academia to the textile and clothing sector, and to help students and young women qualify to work in the national apparel and fashion design sectors.   

Rebounding from the COVID-19 economic crisis

Kyrgyzstan’s clothing sector was badly hit by the COVID-19 economic upheaval. Businesses had to cope with a lack of raw materials, personnel, financial resources, and logistical problems, making their finished products less competitive.  

To support the Kyrgyzstan textile and clothing industry, we adjusted our approach to focus on digitalizing operations. This helped companies improve their digital processes and online presence, making them more competitive.  

Our client companies rebounded thanks to our project’s support, with some showing a 10% increase in production volumes and a 20 % increase in exports. Some of our clients are building for the future by investing in specialized equipment, infrastructure, strengthening staff capacities, and expanding into new technologies. 

Sri Lanka: Promoting inclusive growth through trade and regional integration

This ITC project worked from 2018-2021, in line with Sri Lanka’s objectives, to strengthen small and medium sized-enterprises as a way of expanding the export economy. We supported the creation of a conducive business environment, improved domestic productive capacity and trade performance, and promoted Sri Lanka’s integration into global and regional markets. We also supported the country’s trade agenda and negotiation skills in compliance with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

ITC did this through:

• Holding Public-Private dialogues on the important trade policy areas of logistics, e-commerce, investment, duty free tariff access to the EU market, and linkages between industrial and trade policy 
• Helping businesses understand different aspects of international trade, better positioning them to export to European markets, and providing export management support
• Supporting national and regional chambers of commerce to improve their business advocacy and services to their members

• Developing key import/export information for Sri Lanka’s Trade Information Portal and providing access to transparent trade-related information

• Strengthening the capacity of the National Trade Facilitation Committee to drive the implementation of trade facilitation reforms

• Developing an e-learning course on cross-border procedures for exports in collaboration with the National Institute of Exports

• Holding a tailor-made capacity-building coaching Initiative for 70 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and an export marketing planning training and coaching programme for 85 SMEs.

Food, spice and technology

With our guidance, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food and spice sector entered 19 new markets in Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. We also trained more than 2,000 SMEs and 400 extension officers on food safety and quality assurance best practices, and provided technical guidance to 101 SMEs on improving enterprise performance.  Thirty are now certified against international certification schemes.

In the IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, we helped the Sri Lanka Association of Software and Service Companies better represent the interests of its clients and provide growth opportunities to younger companies.  

Our project also helped sector SMEs to identify and meet new buyers in the EU countries, and supported select companies to attend the world’s leading mobile technology event, the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, and participate in ITC-organized B2B events. This backing helped Sri Lanka companies generate several business deals with international buyers.

We also promoted the sector brand “Island of Ingenuity” through branding interventions, advisory work and marketing material. Businesses said the “IoI” brand umbrella gave them the confidence to position their services and approach international markets. 

Changing lives in the textile and clothing sector 

The ITC  MENATEX project in Jordan focuses on capacity building in the textile and clothing sector, one of the country’s main drivers of industrial development and job creation.  The project’s goal is to increase productivity leading to more jobs and income, and ultimately improve people’s lives. 

For example, Jordan's leather and weaving industry took qualitative leaps over the past two decades, attracting investments from international brands, which led to increased production, improved operations and thousands of new jobs. 85% of Jordan’s textile and clothing are now exported to the US market. 

We provide direct technical aid in terms of market and product diversification to 21 businesses, as well as working with several Trade and Investment Support institutions supporting the sector. The project also targets satellite units due to their role and importance in creating job opportunities for refugees and women from rural areas. 

Turning the COVID-19 into opportunities

The apparel industry sector in Jordan, one of the largest employers in the country, was one of the  sectors most affected by the COVID-19 crisis. In 2021, local demand crashed. At the same time, the pandemic affected the entire supply chain, making it more difficult to access and import raw materials, which led to a decline in production and an increase in costs. 

Some companies were unable to pay their workers, while others cut back salaries. With ITC’s support, several factories in the leather and knitting sectors pivoted their production to surgical masks, suits, shoes and sheets and transformed to produce medical supplies and masks. They met national needs and exported the surplus to 30 countries around the world. 

Changing lives in Tunisia’s textile and clothing sector 

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ITC’s Global Textiles and Clothing (GTEX/MENATEX) project in Tunisia aims to create jobs and increase the income of micro small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the textile and clothing industry.  

To that end, ITC is working with the government on policies to improve the sector’s business environment and  the competitiveness of the clothing sector.  

The project supports 50 companies in four sub-sectors of jeans, lingerie / swimwear, protective clothing, and a sub-sector of young local designers in clothing brands. Through training and mentoring programmes, beneficiary companies have the opportunity to increase their visibility in the global textile and clothing (T&C) market, participate in international fairs and improve their product portfolio according to the latest trends. 

Textiles and clothing is the largest industry in Tunisia, contributing almost 20% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Companies export 95% of their production mainly to EU countries such as France, Italy, and Germany.  

Turning COVID-19 into opportunities

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The COVID-19 pandemic hit the Tunisian textile and clothing sector hard. Commerce began reopening in 2021, showing an 11% increase in the first four months of the year. However, exports have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels.   

To help survive these new challenges, through GTEX/MENATEX,  ITC assisted companies to reorient their production to medical textiles and face masks. We also paired larger “champion” companies with smaller enterprises to help them overcome the crisis. 

On the trade and investment support institutions side, the project helped institutions certify MSMEs that converted to the production of sanitary masks in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Thanks to these efforts, beneficiary companies were able to secure 3,500 jobs. 

Changing lives in the textile and clothing sector 

ITC’s Global Textiles and Clothing Programme (GTEX) in Tajikistan aims to create jobs and increase the income of small and medium-sized businesses in the textile and clothing (T&C) industry. To that end, ITC works with the government on policies to improve the sector’s business environment and competitiveness.   

We also work directly with up to 15 small and medium-sized enterprises in denim, knitwear, sports, and leisurewear, and provide support to improve dyeing and finishing processes, and to meet environmental standards. We help these businesses diversify their exports and increase their ability to compete in international markets, and provide training in product design, export marketing and branding, and digital upgrading. 

Strengthening the sector and boosting exports will have an enormous impact as the industry employs up to an estimated 15,000 people. The apparel industry is the second-largest exporting industry in the country and over 90% of the sector’s workforce are women. 

Turning the COVID-19 crisis into opportunities  

Tajikistan’s clothing sector was badly hit by the COVID-19 economic upheaval. To support the industry, ITC’s GTEX Tajikistan project adjusted its plans to tackle the new challenges during the pandemic.  

GTEX organized several webinars and online coaching sessions to help companies adapt to new realities and follow the national health authorities plan to ensure appropriate COVID-19 preventive health and safety measures.  

The sector responded to the crisis by producing protective masks and other medical textiles, meeting local market demand and supporting the country throughout the pandemic.