The 9th RLSCT Meeting in concurrence with the 3rd SMEs Technical Committee and 2nd Triple Helix was held at Bronte the Garden Hotel, Harare, Zimbabwe, on 24th and 25th July 2015. It also witnessed the graduation of 40 Trainees who attended the training course in” Introduction to Cluster Development Management” from Zimbabwe, under the sponsorship of RISP-EU of the COMESA Secretariat, executed and coordinated by COMESA/LLPI in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) of Zimbabwe.
The 9th RLSCT,3rd SMEs Technical Committee and 2nd Triple Helix Meeting was hosted by the Republic of Zimbabwe and involved 46 delegates and observers drawn from number of Member States, COMESA/LLPI , host country, academia, [Ege University, Turkey and Makarere University, Uganda], AUC and renowned international investors in the leather sector.
The objectives of the Meeting were as follows:
Receive member countries Report on the Progress aimed at supporting the Leather Sector Development since the Kampala Forum, January 2014;
- Strengthen the collaboration between COMESA/LLPI and COMESA Member States together with the private sector;
- Exchange of experiences among LLPI member countries and its agencies;
- COMESA/LLPI 2014 – 2015 Major Performance and Future Interventions including preview of the next LLPI Long Term Strategic Plan, starting 2016;
- An update on the Transformation Agenda of the leather sector currently undertaken by LLPI to the regional Leather Sector.
Recommendations were categorized in four sections with targeted responsible stakeholders.
Recommendations to be overseen by LLPI
- Create a regional data & information center (centers of excellence)
- Engage on anchoring incubation and capacity building for the leather industry in the following countries (Malawi, Zambia, Eritrea, Swaziland and Burundi)
- Provide research on specific themes to generate knowledge for policy in all LLPI member states (quality & standardization)
- Formulate and develop market linkage strategies for SMEs to promote intra-trade
- AUC be given an observer status in the LLPI Board of Directors Meeting.
- Pursue the establishment of an African leather platform under the AUC
- Expedite the finalization of the MoU between the AUC and the LLPI
- Enhance the ongoing Triple Helix Approach to be an annual activity
- Enhance the ongoing South-South and North-South development cooperation and partnership
- Audit the implementation of the previous triple helix recommendations
Recommendations to be overseen by Member States
- Expedite the implementation of the country Leather Value Chain (LVC) Strategies
- Identify affordable finance sources for SMEs development
Recommendations to be overseen by SMEs and Private Sector
- The industry to create opportunities for internship and apprenticeship to students at tertiary/vocational training
- Identify the incentives available for SMEs to enhance trade and development
General Recommendations
- The Meeting recommended Swaziland to host the next Event
- Burundi considered to be an Alternate host country to facilitate the next Event
In closing the Meeting, Prof. Mwiniyhija, the Executive Director of COMESA/LLPI thanked all participants and observers (the champions) for their valuable contributions and active participation during all the agenda items that were considered by the meeting. He also highly appreciated the host Country, Zimbabwe, in particular, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce for the hospitality, support and facilitating respective participants to be able to attend the meeting.
