By the official invitation of IGAD/Center for Pastoral Areas and Livelihoods Development (ICPALD) to COMESA/LLPI and by the instruction of the Executive Director of the COMESA/LLPI, the Rapporteur of this Mission Report attended the two day Workshop ,conducted in Naivasha (120 kms. west of Nairobi), Kenya, at Elementaita Country Lodge from 7th to 8th October 2015.
Twenty participants , Directors of Veterinary Services, Senior Experts, Bureau of Standards, Regional Technical Partners etc. From the Republic of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somaliland, Uganda, COMESA/LLPI, NEALCO, IGAD/ICPALD attended the Workshop.
The forum was organized by the World Bank funded “Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project” (RPLRP), under the Inter-Governmental Authorities on Development (IGAD).
The objectives of the Workshop were to:
understand the status of implementation of the Grades and Standards on Live Animal ,Meat and Hides/Skins;
- document the Modalities of Promotion and Popularization of Grades and Standards on Live Animal, Meat and Hides/Skins;
- facilitate lessons sharing on Dissemination of Grades and Standards from MSs;
- discuss and agree on the way forward for harmonization of Grades and Standards at regional level;
The Delegate from COMESA/LLPI (Dr. Tadesse H.Mamo) presented a 30 minutes paper presentations, entitled; “Raw Hides and Skins Grading and Standards: The Way Forward for Harmonization in IGAD Region”. The presentation also included the COMESA/LLPI Overview, its Mandate and major Performances to date and the Leather Sector Situation at Regional and Global Levels.
At the end of the Workshop, the Meeting recommended various pertinent policy and cross-cutting issues, among which; the establishment of technical cooperation between COMESA/LLPI and IGAD/ICPALD and Grading of Leather and Leather Products, are few to mention.
Since the majority of the participants were from the Ministry of Agriculture and Bureau of Standards from the respective countries, it was a very good opportunity to promote and enhance the visibility of the COMESSA-Leather and Leather Products Institute.
