"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.

"The Cotonou meeting not only paves the way for new business relationships and partnerships between businessmen from countries of the three African and Mekong economic areas, but also identifies specific hindrances to the expansion of trade within this sub-region and provides effective solutions to overcome them through relevant actions," she said.

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

"Also, exports in the same year for these products were estimated at 1.5 billion US dollars of which about 780 million for non-carded cotton," she pointed out.

Concerning the six CEMAC member states, she continued, the import level was estimated, in 2008, at more than 500 million US dollars of which over $100 million for materials containing at least 85 per cent cotton.

As regards exports, she emphasized, 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.