In fulfillment of its mandate of enhancing the development of leather industries in the COMESA region, the Leather and Leather Products Institute (COMESA/LLPI) in collaboration with the COMESA Secretariat, constituted a Business Mission to India and Turkey, both leading countries in the leather sector globally, seeking to bench mark with and learn from their key success industry performers and the development of partnerships.

Mr. Keith C. Molkner, Director of Deloitte Consulting LLP, Visited COMESA-LLPI on January 22, 2014, and discussed with Dr. Mwinyikione Mwinyihija, Executive Director and Experts' Team of COMESA-LLPI on various issues concerning institutional cooperation and collaboration for the development of the COMESA Region leather sector.

Council of Scientific And Industrial Research(CSIR) Represented By Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) And COMESA – Leather And Leather Products Institute (COMESA/LLPI) Signed An MoU to Establish Collaborative Activities for the Development Of Leather Industry In The COMESA Region.

In line with its strategic goal of enhancing market access for leather and leather products, KLDC participated in the Nairobi Trade Fair, 2013 from 30th September to 6th October, 2013 at Jamhuri Park, Nairobi. This year’s show theme was “Enhancing Technology in Agriculture and Industry for Food Security and National Growth” and the KLDC booth served to demonstrate the central role of the leather sector in promoting National Growth and Rural Development. The KLDC booth was judged in two specific categories: “Best Small Traders Stand (Commercial and Industrial) and the most striking demonstration of locally manufactured products.”

COMESA/LLPI, as part of its strategic activity of promoting productivity, competitiveness, trade and regional integration in the leather industry, participated in the Nairobi International Trade Fair by fully sponsoring 3 leather footwear Cluster/SMEs to showcase their products at the Trade Fair held at Jamhuri showground from September 30 to October 6, 2013.

The Trade Fair was officially opened by His Excellency Hon. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H., President and Commander in Chief of the Defense Forces of the Republic of Kenya. The president in his opening speech indicated that the Trade Fair has certainly grown in stature, improved its standard and become a world-class agriculture and trade exposition. He said “it, therefore, affords an opportunity for all agri-business actors to interact and be empowered.

The 21st Uganda International Trade Fair (UGITF) was held in Kampala at Lugogo Show Ground during the period October 3 – 10, 2013. The fair was officially opened by the Vice President of Uganda, H.E Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi on October 4, 2013. The theme of the trade fair was "Accelerating Trade and Industrial Growth."

The COMESA – Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) “COMESA CAADP Focal Points team visited COMESA-LLPI on August 29, 2013. The team also visited the Ethiopia Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI) which is the COMESA-LLPI country Unit of Ethiopia. After their visit, they attended the presentation session held at COMESA-LLPI Board Room about the mandates and activities of COMESA-LLPI and the Ethiopian Leather Industry Institute (LIDI).

COMESA-LLPI Conducted Cluster Management Training for SMEs and Clusters/Cooperatives involved in footwear and leather goods manufacturing. The 36 SMEs were drawn from different districts of Rwanda. The workshop was conducted for two days (September 2-3, 2013) at SCOLA Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda. The workshop was officially, opened by Celestin KABARA, Innovation and Technology Support Senior Officer, Trade and Manufacturing Department of Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

The 16th International Trade Fair was opened by His Excellency Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi, Prime Minister of Rwanda, on 25th July 2013 at Gikondo Expo Ground. The Prime Minster in his opening speech said that the 2013 International Trade Fair is a good opportunity for local manufacturers to learn from other countries and improve their products in order to be more competitive. He reiterated that the COMESA manufacturing sector shall be promoted through linking business to the COMESA market of 440 million consumers.

The Division of Gender and Social Affairs at COMESA Secretariat conducted a capacity building training workshop on mainstreaming gender into COMESA specialized institutions and programmes.
The participants were equipped with knowledge of basic concepts and skills to enable them engender their programmes, structures and systems.
The Training was designed in a very participatory manner and discussed the following major topics:

·    Understanding the Gender Conceptual Framework
·    Links between Gender Equality and Development
·    Historical Development of Gender Equality, Approaches and Frameworks
·    Regional Responses to the Issue of Gender Equality
·    Gender Responsive Budgeting
·    Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Gender Mainstreaming Progress in COMESA Programmes

It is expected that from this training, participants will be able to undertake gender analysis and programming with a gender lens and become gender sensitive as a way of life. The Director of Gender, Mrs Emiliana Tembo said the training workshop was meant to try and promote a practical approach for engendering all programmes that are advancing regional integration.
She said that COMESA specialized institutions play a very critical role in accelerating the institution’s main objectives and hence they were targeted for the training. “Of much importance is the fact that gender issues should be part and parcel of COMESA in an integrated manner,” Mrs Tembo pointed out. The COMESA Treaty under Articles 154 and 155 recognises the critical contribution of women to the economic and social transformation of the region.
In this regard, the COMESA Gender Policy whose objective is to foster the mainstreaming of gender perspectives into all policies, structures, systems, programmes and activities of COMESA for sustainable socio-economic development was developed in 2002.
The training which was sponsored by the European Union had participants from the African Trade Insurance (ATI), the Alliance for Commodity Trade Exchange for Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), the Leather and Leather Products Institute (LLPI) and the Federation of Women in Business (FEMCOM) who met in Lusaka from 17 - 21 June 2013. The COMESA-Leather and Leather Products Institute was represented by the Administration/Budget and Finance Head of COMESA-LLPI, Mrs. Tigist H/Giorgis.