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What we do
How we work
Stories and News
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
What we work
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
How we work
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
Stories and News
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
The International Trade Centre (ITC) is leading the next phase of the EU-ACP Business-Friendly Programme, with a focus on boosting small businesses and artisan communities in Burkina Faso and Benin. This initiative supports local value chains by promoting inclusive policies, encouraging investment, and building strong partnerships.
The project is a continuation of the ACP 1 and WAP projects, which notably launched the construction of a cotton dyeing plant in Gampela in partnership with Ferragamo, marking three years of collaboration promoting the social progress of women artisans.
A recent agreement has extended the programme by four more years, adding new resources and expanding its goals. This extension will make it easier for small businesses and farmers to access finance and sustainable investment opportunities and it also introduces new training and support mechanisms to help meet human rights, environmental, and corporate responsibility standards, customized for the needs of African, Caribbean, and Pacific (OACPS) countries.
One major component of the project is implemented by the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI), which aims to empower 1,950 artisans, with 1,442 in Burkina Faso and 508 in Benin. EFI is helping these artisans improve how they produce, organize, and grow their businesses. The work is being carried out across several regions in both countries, with a strong focus on increasing income, skills, and market opportunities for local producers.
A brief recap of our first two missions
A first mission was held in western Burkina Faso, with field visits to Bobo Dioulasso (Inovatex, Mirya Gnouman Gala, Masatex, Cofatex) and training for 38 beneficiaries, including 22 women and 27 young people under 35, on the EFI business model, fashion market requirements, and ESG due diligence principles.
A second mission in the northern region trained 244 women, including 118 young people, on the social, environmental, and governance standards to be applied in workshops. The importance of relationships between designers and artisans, particularly regarding deadlines, quality, and prices, was also discussed, as were the key principles of sustainability in fashion.
Finally, in Ouagadougou, six workshops (AFEPO, GAMPELA, AZPF, APEPF, TIERIS, RELWENDE) benefited from the same training, with 25 participants.
A brief recap of Earthna Summit in Doha
From April 22 to 23, 2025 the project took part in the 2nd edition of the Earthna Summit organized by the Qatar Foundation in Msheireb Downtown, Doha. This international event highlighted Doha’s commitment to sustainability in hot and arid environments, emphasizing the alliance between modern innovation and traditional know-how.
Madame Sawadogo Maïga W. Fatouma, National Coordinator of the project, led a delegation made up of artisans from Burkina Faso and Benin. The artisans gave demonstrations on natural dyeing, spinning with a spinning wheel and weaving on a small loom.
A brief recap of EFI x Interluxe Round Tables in Cotonou
On May 9, 2025, two roundtables were held in Cotonou, bringing together 29 key stakeholders from Benin’s textile sector. The main themes “Cotton, value chain, and social impact” and “Benin: textile industry and synergy” guided the discussions. This meeting provided an overview of the sector and paved the way for concrete partnerships, and especially a Consignment Agreement between Interluxe Concept Store and Espace Tissage Djougou (ETD) to facilitate the marketing of locally produced fabrics.
Madame Sawadogo Maïga W. Fatouma, National Coordinator of the project, led a delegation made up of artisans from Burkina Faso and Benin. The artisans gave demonstrations on natural dyeing, spinning with a spinning wheel and weaving on a small loom.
In West Africa, EFI is supported by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and the Pacific States (OACPS) under the ACP – Business Friendly Programme.
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The Ethical Fashion Initiative is a programme of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
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