Tunisia, 29–30 June 2026 — The Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) participated in the 3rd COMESA Institutions Awareness Forum, held at the Golden Carthage Hotel in Tunis under the theme “Expanding Intra-African Horizons: Digital Innovation as a Catalyst for Inclusive and Sustainable COMESA Market Access.” ALLPI was represented by Mr. Nicholas Mudungwe, Executive Director, Mrs. Tigist, Hailgiorgis and Mrs. Birkinesh Gonfa.
The Forum brought together COMESA institutions to showcase their mandates, key services, and 2026 priority activities aimed at strengthening regional integration, trade facilitation, investment promotion, digital transformation, and inclusive market access within the COMESA region.
The Forum opened with welcoming and opening statements by H.E. Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, Secretary General of COMESA, and H.E. Mr. Samir Abid, Minister of Trade and Exports Development. The opening session set the tone for discussions on strengthening intra-African trade, digital innovation, regional integration, and sustainable market access across COMESA Member States.
H.E. Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, Secretary General of COMESA
As part of the programme, Mr. Nicholas Mudungwe presented ALLPI’s institutional overview and key activities for 2026 during the afternoon session on 29 June 2026. The presentation highlighted ALLPI’s role in promoting the sustainable development, competitiveness, and transformation of Africa’s leather and leather products value chain through capacity building, technology transfer, investment promotion, trade facilitation, product development, and market linkages.
ALLPI’s Executive Director Mr. Nicholas Mudungwe presented ALLPI’s institutional overview and key activities for 2026
ALLPI’s participation provided an important opportunity to raise awareness of the leather sector’s contribution to industrialization, employment creation, SME development, and intra-African trade. It also reinforced the Institute’s commitment to supporting COMESA Member States in upgrading leather value chains, improving market access, and promoting regional and continental trade opportunities under AfCFTA.
The Forum also featured presentations from other COMESA institutions, including the Trade Development Bank, ZEP-RE, African Trade & Investment Development Insurance, COMESA Business Council, ACTESA, COMESA Court of Justice, COMESA Regional Investment Agency, COMESA Competition Commission, COMESA Clearing House, COMESA Monetary Institute, and other regional bodies.
ALLPI’s engagement at the Forum strengthened institutional visibility and created opportunities for networking, collaboration, and partnership with COMESA institutions, policymakers, development partners, and private-sector stakeholders.
The Institute remains committed to advancing inclusive and sustainable development of the African leather sector and contributing to COMESA’s broader agenda of regional integration, industrialization, and market access.
Over the next two days, participants will engage in strategic dialogue, share practical solutions and forge partnerships that support a more integrated, competitive and digitally connected COMESA region.
Partial view of the event
