Africa's Leather Industry Set for a Revolution

On April 9, 2025 (ENA), the Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) successfully organized its second breakfast meeting with embassy representatives from the 21 member states of COMESA. This event took place on April 8, 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The gathering assembled top-tier attendees such as Ambassadors, delegates from the African Union, development allies, sector specialists, and leading governmental figures. The assembly centered around the theme "Leveraging Diplomatic Interaction to Boost Intra-African Commerce and Enhance Supply Chain Growth."

Yasmin Wohabrebbi, the State Minister at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, served as the Guest of Honour and gave a compelling keynote speech. She emphasized Ethiopia’s steadfast dedication to industrialization, regional integration, and equitable economic development.

She emphasized the "Ethiopia Tamrit" campaign, also known as 'Made In Ethiopia,' along with continuous investments in industrial zones, city redevelopment projects, and the crucial function of Ethiopian Airlines, which links 133 global routes and 23 local ones. This connectivity bolsters smooth logistical operations and commerce throughout Africa.

The meeting included comments from Nicholas Mudungwe, the Executive Director of ALLPI, followed by a Vote of Thanks delivered by Nobby Macharia, who serves as the Chairperson of ALLPI’s Board.

Both highlighted the crucial part played by economic diplomacy in unleashing Africa’s industrial capabilities, boosting small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) competitiveness, and increasing job opportunities for women and young people within the leather sector.

During an exclusive presentation, ALLPI presented a data-backed examination of the untapped potentials and missed chances within Africa’s leather industry. They illustrated how the COMESA Leather Value Chain Strategy provides actionable answers aimed at closing production gaps, boosting value creation, and encouraging trade among regions.

As an important achievement, ALLPI formally introduced the COMESA Leather Value Chain Strategy on March 28, 2025, in Addis Ababa.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Chileshe Kapwepwe, the Secretary General of COMESA, and Dr. Juma Mukhwana, who serves as the Principal Secretary at Kenya’s Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, acting as guest speakers.

Their attendance highlighted the strong political and technical dedication to fostering industrial growth in the area, as stated in a press release issued by them. 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.

Created via an inclusive process, this strategy received funding from the European Union as part of the RECAMP programme (Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme).

The gathering featured a panel of technical specialists who shared their insights on key sectors needing focus to enhance the efficiency of COMESA and Africa’s leather industry.

The specialists highlighted the critical importance of consistent policies and high-quality standards among Member States, enhancing regional logistics and custom integrations to minimize transportation expenses and delays along with several other crucial topics.

The panel likewise emphasized the importance of establishing a more organized partnership with diplomatic missions to serve as drivers for enhancing investment facilitation, organizing trade delegations, and facilitating business-to-business connections.

To conclude, the meeting reinforced the dedication of COMESA member countries and diplomatic missions to collaborate with ALLPI in developing a robust, inclusive, and competitive leather industry. This initiative aims at enhancing value addition, supporting local producers, and serving as an exemplar for comprehensive industrial growth throughout Africa.