Industry Dynamics

Tunisia is the most important olive planting country in the southern Mediterranean and is considered to be the top one country in the global olive oil market. The annual production of olive oil fluctuates depending on the harvest season, rainfall and cyclical effects.

An Ethiopian industry official and expert revealed that Ethiopia has launched the first well-organized bamboo development and utilization strategy to develop its bamboo resources.

According to Samuel Halala, director general of Chemical and Construction Inputs Industry Development Institute, the Council of Ministers has decided to lift the ban on foreign investment in the cement industry based on the Institute's recommendations.

The government has launched the genetically modified insect-resistant cotton seed variety dubbed BT to revive the dying industry. This launch makes Kenya the seventh country in Africa and the 15th country in the world to embrace the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) cotton.

In Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, fish is an important part of the household diet. Fish makes up around 40% of the country's protein intake, with fish consumption at 13.3 kg/person/per year.

Senegal recently held the inauguration of its first large-scale wind farm, which will provide nearly one-sixth of its electricity when it reaches full capacity later this year.

Sudan is a competitive producer and exporter of gum arabic, peanuts, livestock and sesame seeds. In 2015, Sudan was the second largest exporter of sesame seeds after India, with 296,000 tons of seeds exported. This accounts for about 13% of world exports.

Ghana is hoping to revive its dwindling timber trade with the European Union through a Voluntary Partnership Agreement programme.

Although Egypt generates far more waste than the government can handle, Cairo has introduced waste as a new investment opportunity to international and local companies to produce electricity.