Cleaner production set to boost Egyptian textiles

"The ministry has established a number of technological centres, including the Egyptian National Cleaner Production Centre, to boost industrial exports," said Minister Rashid Mohamed Rashid at yesterday's opening ceremony for a conference on cleaner production, titled 'The Gateway to Increasing Egyptian Textile Exports'.

The ceremony was attended by Massimo Garzelli, head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) office in Egypt, and Austrian Ambassador to Egypt Kurt Spallinger.

In a speech delivered on his behalf by Hani Barakat, the Ministry's Chairman of the Technological Development Sector, the official said that the plan was to improve Egyptian products, making them more competitive in world markets, and to attract more foreign investments and create new jobs.

"The textile industry is making the most important contribution to the growth of the Egyptian economy. There are 5,000 textile factories in which LE20 billion has been invested," Rashid explained, adding that the textile industry accounted for 25 per cent of total industrial exports.

He noted that there is a plan to increase textile exports from US$1 billion per annum to US$5 billion per annum by 2010, as well as increasing the number of workers in this sector to 2 million.

Rashid stressed that the purpose of the Egyptian National Cleaner Production Centre, established in collaboration with UNIDO, is to provide different industrial sectors with clean and modern technology, as well as encouraging companies and factories to meet the environmental standards demanded by global markets.

"Paying more attention to cleaner production is the key for promoting Egyptian textile exports," the Minister stressed.

Source: The Egyptian Gazette