The International Council of Tanners (ICT) annual meeting was held at the International Convention Centre in Hong Kong on March 24, 2013. COMESA/LLPI was represented in this meeting by its Director Dr Mwinyikione Mwinyihija.
During the Council meeting, which was attended by 24 delegates and guests from 13 countries, presentations were made on two important topics: further development of the methodology for calculating the carbon footprint for leather, and the current state of evolution of the African leather industry. The Council also agreed to hold the second World Leather Congress in Italy in the autumn of 2014. It is to be remembered that the first World Leather Congress was held in Rio de Janeiro in November 2011.
COMESA/LLPI’s Director Dr M. Mwinyihija presented a paper entitled COMESA Region Leather Sector: A Short Overview, Challenges and market Opportunities in which he gave highlights of COMESA/LLPI objectives and activities, selected statistics about the Region’s leather sector and major constraints along the value chain. COMESA/LLPI has been invited to join the International Council of Tanners (ICT) as of 2014. This may serve LLPI and Africa as global players in the global arena.