A Small and Medium Enterprises service providing center established at Kamenge Artisans Production Center was launched by H.E. Madam Marie Chantal Nijembre, Minister of Commerce, Transport, Industry and Tourism on the 4^th of November 2022. In the Launching ceremony, ALLPI delegation composed of Mr. Ghebregziabher Ghebremedhin programmes Coordinator and Professor Mekonnen Hailemariam Advisor to the Executive Director attended the launching ceremony following the invitation of the honorable Minister Madam Marie Chantal Nijembre.

H.E. in her speech hailed the establishment of the center which is expected to contribute to the transformation process of the leather sector in Burundi. She reiterated government’s commitment to support the leather sector in general and in making the incubation center workable in particular. She gave her guidance on how the incubation center will be managed.  She commended ALLPI’s support to the leather sector in Burundi citing the facilitation of the establishment of the Kamenge Incubation center as one of the collaborations between Burundi and the ALLPI. She thanked ALLPI for all the support to the leather sector in general and coming to attend the launching of the incubation center in particular. She assured the delegates that her ministry will work to strengthen further the partnership with the ALLPI. Further she assured that the government of Burundi will honor its commitment to ALLPI.

Africa Leather & Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) conducted a successful mission to the Republic of Sudan 23 – 28 October 2022.

The aim of the mission was to discuss on how to further strengthen the collaborations between the leather value chain stakeholders of Sudan and the ALLPI so that to enhance the process of transformation of the leather sector in Sudan. The mission was planned and implemented in collaboration with the Sudan COMESA coordinating unit of the Ministry of Trade and Supplies.

The ALLPI delegates in its four days mission conducted fruitful meetings with different stakeholders in the Sudanese Leather Value Chain:
The first meeting was conducted between the representatives of the Ministry of Trade & Supplies and the ALLPI in which delegates the discussion concentrated on bilateral issues concerning ALLPI’s intervention in the value chain and Sudan’s assessed contribution were thoroughly discussed.  In the meeting the Ministry expressed its satisfaction with collaborative activities and affirmed Sudan’s commitment to its membership and confirmed its commitment to fulfill its obligations.

The Leather and Hide Council of America (L&HCA) and the African Leather and Leather Products Institute(ALLPI) have partnered to launch the Real Leather. Stay Different. African Talent Leather Design Showcase 2023 (RLSD African Showcase ‘23). The new partnership, which commits to ‘educating the next generation of creatives’, aims to reshape education around the production and use of sustainable leather across Africa.

Download the Press release      Real Leather. STAY Different.

In an effort to increase its membership, Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) organized a meeting with Ambassadors/Embassy representatives from COMESA member countries and two non COMESA member states based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The theme of the meeting was dubbed “ALLPI’s Contribution to COMESA Regional Leather Value Chain Development: A Fight for Poverty reduction and unemployment Using Hides and Skins value addition”. The event took place on the 14th September 2022 at Skylight Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

ALLPI attended the Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme (RECAMP) Project Steering Committee 2nd meeting that was held from 17th -18th August 2022 at Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, Lusaka, Zambia, that discussed the progress to date of the implementation of the RECAMP and TAF activities and the 2022 Annual Work plan.

More than 30 participants from COMESA Secretariat, Implementing Partner institutions and COMESA member States attended the meeting. ALLPI was represented by Prof. Mekonnen Hailemariam, Advisor to the Executive Director.