On 9-12 November 2019, the Addis Ababa Office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation actively participated with a booth in the 11th All-African Leather Fair organized by the Ethiopian Leather Industries Association (ELIA) and the Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI) in Addis Ababa, showcasing its work and commitment to further developing the leather sector in Ethiopia.
The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) is currently funding two projects contributing to upgrade the Ethiopian leather industry with a special focus on leather footwear and handcrafted leather goods, as well as supporting the Ethiopian Government to meet the targets of creating favorable conditions for small and medium enterprises to network and strengthen market linkages with medium and large scale manufacturing industries.
- Phase 2 of the Technical Assistance Project for the Up-Grading of the Ethiopian Leather and Leather Products Industry implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), partnering with the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI);
- UNIDO Leather Clusters Empowerment in Addis Ababa – ULCE implemented by the Italian Civil Society Organization CVM – Comunità Volontari per il Mondo, jointly with the Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI) and the Ethiopian Leather Industries Association (ELIA).
With one of the largest livestock population in Africa, Ethiopia’s leather industry is currently one of the leading manufacturing sectors in the Country and has a huge potential to create more job opportunities. In addition, Ethiopia’s hides & skins are internationally known for their natural qualities of clarity, flexibility, strength, thickness and compact texture.
