a total of 83 percent of SSA apparel exports.
Although South Africa and Mauritius are among SSA's largest textile and apparel producers, they were not covered here because their exports did not increase during the five-year period under review.
Trade agreements and preference programs, particularly AGOA's third-country fabric provision, the ATC, and EU Cotonou Agreement, served as strong catalysts for increased
apparel exports from SSA.
To a lesser extent, exports increased because of regional economic integration in southern Africa; individual country programs and state-sponsored policies, such as the creation of export processing zones (EPZs); infrastructure development projects; and, especially in Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, and Swaziland, other government investment and incentives that served to attract domestic and foreign direct investment (FDI), notably of Asian origin.
More recently, Botswana and Ethiopia also have increased exports of textiles and apparel due, in part, to strong government incentives and comparatively low wages.
Sub-Saharan Africa: Factors Affecting Trade Patterns of Selected Industries.
US International Trade Commission
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