The Italian Ambassador to Mali, Stefano A. Dejak, and the Minister of Trade and Industry of the Government of Mali, Moussa Alassane Diallo, participated in the launch of an initiative to promote the textile industry that took place at the International Conference Centre in Bamako. Under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic of Mali, the Malian company Elegance Italo-Malienne – led by Mr. Toumane Bagayoko, who specialised in tailoring studies in Italy – launched a project for the creation of textile industries, in collaboration with the “Simon Institute of International Finance and Management” in Bamako – linked to the “Euroschool” tailoring school in Bergamo – and the National Association of Cotton Producers (CMDT). During the ceremony, awards were presented to several Malian designers for their creations.
Mali is the largest producer of cotton in the whole of West Africa, but it has not yet developed a textile industry to process its high-quality cotton. For this reason, the Mali government has decided to support the initiative of the company ‘Elegance Italo-Malienne’ to contribute to the creation of textile production centres in Bamako and Koutiala, with contacts also in place with Italian investors.
Ambassador Dejak believes that the commitment of the Malian government and the High Patronage of the President of the Republic of Mali are a bridge to develop even more intense collaboration between Italy and Mali in a priority sector for Italy such as textiles. He said : “The 40th edition of Milano Unica has just ended, focusing precisely on the textile sector, with more than 20 years of history to its credit: Italy is a leading country in the world in this sector, as well as in Fashion, and remains interested in evaluating the opportunities that can be offered concretely in countries such as Mali.”
