Africa’s Leather Sector Poised for Transformation
Addis Ababa, — The Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) successfully hosted its Second Breakfast Meeting with Embassy Representatives of the 21 COMESA Member States on 8th April 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The event brought together high-level participants including Ambassadors, representatives of the African Union, development partners, industry experts, and senior government officials under the theme of “Harnessing Diplomatic Engagement to Drive Intra-African Trade and Value Chain Development.”
The Guest of Honour, Yasmin Wohabrebbi, State Minister at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, delivered a powerful keynote address that reaffirmed Ethiopia’s strategic commitment to industrialisation, regional integration, and inclusive growth.
She highlighted the “Ethiopia Tamrit” or ‘Made In Ethiopia’ initiative, ongoing investments in industrial parks, urban renewal, and the pivotal role of Ethiopian Airlines in connecting 133 international and 23 domestic destinations, thereby supporting seamless logistics and trade across Africa.
The meeting also featured remarks by Nicholas Mudungwe, Executive Director of ALLPI, and a Vote of Thanks by the Chairperson of ALLPI’s Board, Nobby Macharia.
Both underscored the vital role of economic diplomacy in unlocking Africa’s industrial potential, promoting SME competitiveness, and enhancing women and youth employment in the leather value chain.
In a special presentation, ALLPI shared a data-driven analysis of the potential and lost opportunities in Africa’s leather sector, demonstrating how the COMESA Leather Value Chain Strategy offers practical solutions to bridge production gaps, enhance value addition, and stimulate intra-regional trade.
As a key milestone, ALLPI officially launched the COMESA Leather Value Chain Strategy on 28 March 2025, in Addis Ababa.
The launch was graced by the Secretary General of COMESA, Chileshe Kapwepwe, and Dr. Juma Mukhwana, Principal Secretary of Kenya’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, as chief guests.
Their presence underscored the high-level political and technical commitment to industrial development in the region, a ccording to a press statement issued by ALLPI.
The strategy envisions the transformation of the regional leather value chain to deliver and trade in value-added products, positioning Africa as a global player in the leather market.
Developed through a broadly participatory process, the strategy was funded by the European Union under the RECAMP (Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme).
The meeting also included a panel of technical experts who provided reflections on critical areas that require attention to strengthen the performance of COMESA and Africa’s leather value chain.
The experts emphasized the urgent need for harmonized policies and quality standards across Member States, strengthening regional logistics and customs integration to reduce transport costs and delays among other key issues.
The panel also called for a more structured collaboration with diplomatic missions to act as catalysts for investment facilitation, trade missions, and business-to-business matchmaking.
In closing, the meeting reaffirmed the commitment of COMESA Member States and diplomatic missions to work with ALLPI in building a resilient, inclusive, and competitive leather sector–one that drives value addition, empowers local producers, and serves as a model for broader industrial development across Africa.
Crédito: Link de origem