Tunisia textile and leather industry accounts for a quarter of country’s exports and almost 9 per cent of employment, requires special focus of Government to revive the economy. The industry has suffered due to the economic slowdown, and primarily because of the competition from China and India. “This reflects the fact that wages in the textile sector have increased in benchmark countries and other textile exporters, which may open a window of opportunity for Tunisia,” The World Bank said in a report. Tunisia has an unemployment rate of 15.3 per cent. Around 280,000 low-skilled workers, primarily women, are employed across 1,860 textile and clothing companies. According to Tunisia’s Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA), Europe accounted for 95 per cent of textile and clothing exports in 2012, worth US $ 2.76 billion. Its proximity to the European Union also gives it a competitive edge.
