Côte d’Ivoire and China sign textile partnership in Shanghai

Côte d’Ivoire and China signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Shanghai on Tuesday, August 25, aimed at strengthening the West African country’s textile industry and attracting investment into local cotton processing.

The agreement was signed by Côte d’Ivoire’s Conseil Coton, Anacarde et Karité (CCAK) and the textile industry committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT-TEX), according to information from the parties involved.

The partnership focuses on increasing trade between the two countries, promoting technology transfers and training, while encouraging Chinese investment in Côte d’Ivoire’s textile sector. The initiative is intended to help the country move beyond the export of raw cotton and develop more processing activities locally.

More than 90% of Côte d’Ivoire’s cotton is currently exported in raw form, mainly to Asian markets, according to the Centre for the Promotion of Investments in Côte d’Ivoire (CEPICI). The government has identified the development of the cotton-textile-garment value chain as a priority as part of its industrial strategy through 2030.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, which runs from August 25 to 28. Côte d’Ivoire is using the event to showcase investment opportunities in its textile and garment industry and attract companies involved in textile manufacturing and machinery.

For Côte d’Ivoire, expanding local processing could increase the value generated by the cotton sector, create industrial jobs and reduce the country’s reliance on exports of unprocessed agricultural commodities.

The agreement also comes as economic ties between Côte d’Ivoire and China continue to expand. Bilateral trade reached a record $7.42 billion in 2025, an increase of 46.9% from the previous year, according to figures cited by Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese officials.

The textile agreement does not, however, represent the announcement of a specific major Chinese investment. It establishes a framework for cooperation intended to facilitate future investment, technology transfers, training and commercial exchanges.

If successfully implemented, the partnership could support Côte d’Ivoire’s ambition to build a more integrated textile industry, from cotton production and processing to yarn, fabrics and finished garments, while strengthening its position as a regional manufacturing hub.