Cotton Program > Highlights

RATES and USAID Uganda Projects Collaborate on Cotton Activity

Kampala, Uganda was the venue for a key business meeting of cotton/textile sector stakeholders held in September 2004. Some 25 industrialists, traders, ginners, spinners, weavers, knitters, apparel manufacturers, industry regulators, government ministries and two USAID bi-lateral projects (SCOPE and APEP) met at this meeting. Discussions were
held on regional integration, policy implications of the East African Community (EAC) customs union on cotton and textiles, competitiveness of Uganda’s
cotton industry and the cottonafrica.com website. The meeting was hosted by the Textiles and Garment Manufacturers Association of Uganda and represented by its chairman, Yuichi Kashiwada. The meeting was in association with RATES and supported by the Agricultural Productivity Enhancement Program (APEP) and the SCOPE project which are designed to strengthen the competitiveness of private enterprise. The meeting
also attracted the keen interest of the Special Presidential Assistant on AGOA and Trade, Susan K. Muhwezi, together with Jolly Sabune, Managing Director of the Cotton Development Organisation. Complementary presentations were given by John Engle, Managing Director of the SCOPE project. The slogan, “cooperate to compete”, set the tone for a thought provoking proposal of a market driven business plan, which would link the production sector with textile and garment manufacturing. Mark Wood, Commodity Commercialization Director of APEP, also demonstrated how a shared vision of support,
technology transfer, training activities and improved efficiency would assist in significantly increasing output levels and therefore the welfare of the people. All of the above activities will complement the work of the RATES program and participants agreed that a policy of close liaison and collaboration with the two bilateral projects would be followed.

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