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Benin: The African Development Bank Supports a Study Aimed at Strengthening the Textile Industry Through the Private Sector

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2 years ago

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Benin

The meeting helped to identify opportunities and make core proposals to strengthen efforts to dynamize the cotton industry

I am especially pleased to see that it is now possible for young designers to get financial and other forms of support for their initiatives in the textile sector

COTONOU, Benin, August 2, 2024/APO Group/ —

The Country Office of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) in Benin – one of Africa’s leading cotton producers – organised a workshop in Cotonou on 31 July 2024 to provide feedback about a study on private sector players bringing fresh momentum to the country’s textile industry.

The meeting marked the end of a process that began on 9 March 2023 with a workshop dedicated to the sector. This has led to collecting important data for a better understanding of the issues in the industry faced by the West African country.

Attendees at the workshop included several experts and national authorities, including the Vice-President of Benin, Ms Mariam Chabi Talata Zimé Yérima, private-sector players operating at all stages of the local cotton value chain, support functions (finance, training, transport, logistics, etc.) and representatives from the country’s technical and financial partners.

The meeting helped to identify opportunities and make core proposals to strengthen efforts to dynamize the cotton industry.

The study revealed multiple opportunities for developing the textile value chain, ranging from production units for accessories to making, logistics, distribution and solutions for taking care of textile items. Other opportunities relate to producing textile items for medical use or for furnishing, cosmetics or the automotive or food industries. The sanitary towels sector alone could generate annual revenue of over USD 13 million (8 billion CFA francs) for the country.

The study emphasised the numerous opportunities for creating tens of thousands of skilled jobs for young people and women.

The report also highlighted the opportunities for the Bank to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the textile industry in Benin and called on senior leaders to take decisions that would support the development of new local industries.

As well as cotton-based textiles, the study pointed to the colossal economic potential and the opportunity to create over 45,000 jobs in a new industry based on pineapple-leaf fibre.

Ms Nathalie Daouda, an expert consultant in the private-sector textile industry at the African Development Bank’s Country Office in Benin, who carried out the study, commented: “The potential additional revenue for the Beninese economy is over USD 5 billion (FCFA 3,000 billion) a year. And it would not take much to make the forecasts a reality, since Benin already has the natural and human resources needed to do the work. The next step is to produce and implement a national plan. The Beninese government has provided ample evidence of its ability to tackle ambitious challenges.”

The Vice-President of the Republic, Ms Mariam Chabi Talata Zimé Yérima, congratulated the Bank on its commitment to supporting an inclusive economy in Benin but above all, for the “realism, completeness and feasibility” of the study. “This report (…) is a sort of strategic plan for strengthening our economy through the textile industry and is relevant to us because developing our economy by building on this sector will help create a large number of jobs,” she emphasized.

“This strategic plan is the first of the steps we need to take to move from ideas to action and from theory to practice,” added Ms Yérima. She highlighted the job-creation opportunities for women and young people but also the economic and social potential of the strategic use of pineapple-leaf fibre for the Beninese textile industry.

Ms Faridatou Yekini, the founder of Mod’Ukpè, which specializes in woven pagne cloth and producing clothes for women, recognized that several actions are underway to boost local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on women-led businesses. “I am especially pleased to see that it is now possible for young designers to get financial and other forms of support for their initiatives in the textile sector. This development marks a significant step towards the growth and sustainability of our industry,” she said delightedly.

“The African Development Bank has done well to create a favourable environment to encourage collaboration, particularly with visits to the Glo Djigbé industrial area and capacity-building sessions for small and medium-sized businesses. These initiatives helped to formalize and organize my business, Safari Textiles Afrique, and develop positive partnerships. The logical next step would be continuing to fund businesses that are working to bring themselves into line, backed by serious monitoring to ensure good management of the funds,” advocated Caleb Menou, co-founder of the Safari Textiles Afrique brand.

The head of the Bank’s Country Office in Benin, Robert Masumbuko, highlighted the economic and inclusive social development potential of the industry, which is a real windfall for Benin in his view. “The Beninese ecosystem is full of talented women and men who produce really beautiful textile items on a daily basis. But all of them have commented frequently on the need for a clear plan to help them increase not only volumes but also the quality of their training. They need help to acquire or access modern, quality equipment for processing and production and above all, to get access to local and international markets with high-quality, competitive textile solutions,” he commented.

One of the Bank’s missions in relation to the private sector is to intervene financially in a smart, agile manner to provide efficient support for actors in various value chains, concluded Mr Masumbuko. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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The 27th China International Education Annual Conference held a cloud dialogue, where Yin Yuzhen and Saikaos discussed the exchange of folk ecological education

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11 hours ago

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November 11, 2026

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China

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 November 2026 – The 27th China Annual Conference & Expo for International Education (CACIE) hosted a “CACIE Talk” session in Beijing on October 30, where Yin Yuzhen, a Chinese anti-desertification pioneer, Bai Fan, head of the Luoyang No. 2 Foreign Language School Education Group, and their American friend Sakolsky, whose full name is Ronald Sakolsky, reconnected via video link. The brief conversation added a new footnote to a cross-border green story now spanning 26 years.
 




 
In the video link, Sakolsky said he had launched preparations on October 1 to establish the Sakolsky Foundation. He plans to work with the China Education Association for International Exchange to build a platform for exchanges between Chinese and American teachers and students, using people-to-people exchanges to bridge cultural divides. Communication and understanding, he said, are important bridges to a peaceful future for young people in the global village we all share. Bai Fan also noted that face-to-face cross-border educational exchanges can help young people learn tolerance and respect, and see a real, multi-dimensional China. Yin Yuzhen responded with a simple observation that resonated with the audience: planting trees and nurturing people both come down to perseverance.

The friendship had its origins in the Maowusu Sandy Land. In 1999, Sakolsky, then teaching in Luoyang, was moved by Yin Yuzhen’s story of taking root in the desert to control desertification, and raised $5,000 himself to support her afforestation efforts. Yin invested the entire sum in the sandy land, planted some 50,000 saplings, erected a stone marker bearing her friend’s name, and kept one dollar as a memento.

The two then lost touch for more than two decades. Yin kept up her sand-control work day after day while thinking of her friend far away. In May 2026, she posted a video appeal to find him and located Sakolsky within 26 hours. In August that year, the two met in person in Ordos and walked together into the forest that now stands there.

For more than four decades, Yin Yuzhen and her husband have remained committed to the Maowusu, bringing a total of 70,000 mu (about 4,667 hectares) of barren sand under control. The shifting dunes that once rolled with yellow dust have gradually become woodland and pasture. Today, 85 percent of the Maowusu Sandy Land in Uxin Banner has been treated, and the transformation of this sandy expanse is regarded as a model case in reversing land degradation worldwide. Over the years, the area has continued to attract volunteers from many countries to take part in desertification control, and people-to-people cooperation on environmental protection has continued to grow.

The goodwill that began with sand control has long gone beyond a single stretch of sandy land. On October 15 this year, Yin Yuzhen was named one of the inaugural “100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development” at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome. There she joined Sakolsky and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu in planting a crape myrtle as a symbol of friendship, sharing China’s experience in desertification control on the international stage. Windblown sand respects no borders, and a shared commitment to ecological conservation has carried the story of two ordinary people out of the desert and onto the international multilateral platform.

The thread of people-to-people friendship clearly runs from the saplings in the Maowusu to the crape myrtle as a mark of friendship in Rome, and now to the conversation in Beijing about exchanges among young people. Sakolsky’s plan to establish the foundation is meant to carry forward the goodwill that began in the desert: starting from an ecological commitment, using educational exchange as a bond, and helping more young people build connections and pass on the power of goodness and beauty.
 




 

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Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group–World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) Investment Excellence Awards 2026 Announce Winners

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11 hours ago

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November 11, 2026

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Islamic Development Bank

Beyond recognizing excellence, the Awards foster peer learning and the exchange of best practices among IsDB Member Countries, helping transform investment opportunities into sustainable, impactful, and investment-ready projects

GENEVA, Switzerland, November 11, 2026/APO Group/ –The IsDB Group–WAIPA Investment Excellence Awards 2026 (https://www.IsDB.org) concluded today during the 30th World Investment Conference (WIC 2026) in Geneva, Switzerland, recognizing outstanding Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) for their contributions to sustainable investment, investment facilitation, and economic development across IsDB Member Countries.

 




  

The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), Egypt, received the IsDB Group- WAIPA Investment Excellence Awards 2026 for Outstanding Sustainable Investment Project for the Kom Ombo Solar PV Power Project, a landmark initiative that has delivered measurable economic, social, and environmental impact while advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Invest Oman received the IsDB Group-WAIPA Investment Excellence Awards 2026 for Investment-Ready Projects, Partnerships & Facilitation Excellence in recognition of its success in developing investment-ready opportunities through effective partnerships, stakeholder coordination, and investor facilitation.

The National Investment Promotion Agency of Comoros received a Special Recognition Award for Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The agency was recognized for supporting investors at every stage, from preparing projects to aftercare.

The Awards are a joint initiative of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group and World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), established to recognize Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) from IsDB Member Countries that are driving sustainable development, private sector growth, economic diversification, and long-term prosperity through investment.

A total of 15 applications were submitted for the 2026 edition. Following an eligibility screening process, all eligible submissions were reviewed and assessed by an independent international jury, which selected the winners based on the published evaluation criteria.

The awards were presented by Mr. Ismail Ersahin, Chief Executive Officer of WAIPA; Mr. Sahal Almarwai, Division Manager of Outreach & Events Management at the IsDB Group Business Forum (THIQAH); and Mr. Kadir Basboga, Associate Manager, Regional Integration, Cooperation & Capacity Development at IsDB. The ceremony brought together IPAs leaders, senior government officials, investors, and private sector representatives attending the World Investment Conference (WIC) 2026.

Launched during the IsDB Group Annual Meetings 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Awards reflect the evolving role of IPAs in supporting investors throughout the investment lifecycle, strengthening investment ecosystems, coordinating stakeholders, and developing bankable investment opportunities. Beyond recognizing excellence, the Awards foster peer learning and the exchange of best practices among IsDB Member Countries, helping transform investment opportunities into sustainable, impactful, and investment-ready projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB Group).

 

 




 

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Lord Nicholas Stern to headline Africa’s Green Economy Summit as continent looks towards 32nd Conference of the Parties (COP32)

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12 hours ago

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November 11, 2026

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COP32

AGES 2027 brings global and African leaders together in Cape Town to focus on financing and delivering Africa’s sustainable future

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, November 11, 2026/APO Group/ –Professor Lord Nicholas Stern, one of the world’s leading authorities on the economics of climate change, will deliver a keynote address at Africa’s Green Economy Summit (https://apo-opa.co/4iRv4j7) (AGES), taking place from 23 to 26 February 2027 at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town. His participation comes as Africa looks towards COP32, which Ethiopia will host in 2027.

 




  

Professor Lord Nicholas Stern, IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government and Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science, will address delegates during the opening keynote session: “Ready for the World: Financing and Delivering Africa’s Sustainable Future.”

A foundational figure in shaping the economic case for global climate action, Professor Lord Nicholas Stern led the landmark Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, which demonstrated the profound economic risks of inaction on climate change and made the case for investment in a transition to a low-carbon economy.

His participation comes as Africa enters an important period for climate action. With COP32 placing the global spotlight on the continent, the focus is increasingly shifting from ambition and commitments towards implementation: mobilising capital, building investable projects, strengthening resilience and ensuring the green transition supports economic growth, industrialisation and jobs.

“COP32 is an opportunity for Africa to change the narrative from a continent seeking climate finance to a continent offering some of the world’s most compelling green investment opportunities. AGES 2027 is about making that opportunity tangible by connecting capital with projects, policy with implementation, and ambition with delivery,” says Emmanuelle Nicholls, Group Director: Green Economy at VUKA Group.

That transition from ambition to delivery sits at the heart of the newly released AGES 2027 programme, with “Road to COP32: Africa’s Implementation Agenda” running as a cross-cutting theme throughout the summit. The opening programme also features a dedicated discussion on Africa’s adaptation and resilience agenda on the road to COP32.

New voices shaping Africa’s green economy

AGES 2027 is about making that opportunity tangible by connecting capital with projects, policy with implementation, and ambition with delivery

Professor Lord Nicholas Stern will be joined by a growing line-up of African and international leaders spanning green growth, climate finance, development finance, trade and investment.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Mallé Fofana, Deputy Executive Director and Head of the Directorate for Green Growth Implementation at the Global Green Growth Institute
  • Satu Kahkonen, World Bank Division Director for South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini
  • Haile Mekonnen, COP32 Climate Finance Representative for the Ethiopian Private Sector and member of UNECA’s COP32 Climate Finance Technical Team
  • Aakif Merchant, Director and Head of Africa at Convergence
  • Dave Chalila, Head of Africa and Middle East Investments at GuarantCo (PIDG)
  • Roslyn Ng’eno, Senior Investment Expert at the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat

 

The programme will examine some of the most immediate opportunities and challenges shaping Africa’s sustainable development, including energy access and green industrialisation, water security, sustainable agriculture, climate and nature finance, critical minerals, sustainable mobility, carbon finance, digital infrastructure and the mobilisation of institutional capital.

From climate ambition to capital

The COP32 conversation at AGES will be grounded in investment and delivery.

AGES 2027 is expected to bring together 700+ delegates, 150+ investors and 40 investment-ready projects representing a US$2 billion pipeline, creating a marketplace connecting African opportunities with the capital, partners and expertise required to take them forward.

New additions for 2027 include a Ministerial & Technical Leadership Roundtable, a closed-door DFI Roundtable and the Green Village, alongside investor roundtables, curated matchmaking and project pitches.

The City of Cape Town returns as host city for AGES 2027.

The full AGES 2027 programme is now available, together with the summit’s new infrastructure and SMME Dealbooks highlighting investment-ready African projects seeking capital and partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 




 

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