A team of delegates from Kenya composed of the Kenya Leather Development Council (KLDC) staff and Board Members visited ALLPI. The Team was facilitated by UNIDO to visit the leather-based enterprises and industrial parks in Ethiopia. In Addition, visiting ALLPI was part of their mission plan. The Team of visitors was led by the Board Chairman of KLDC and was assisted by the CEO of KLDC.
The objectives of the Kenyan Delegates visit to ALLPI were to pay courtesy call to the Executive Director of ALLPI Prof. Mwinyikione Mwinyihija, who has recovered from serious illness and to get briefing about the activities of ALLPI in the Member States and specifically in Kenya.
Delegates were welcomed at ALLPI premises and met they with Prof. Mwinyihija, Executive Director of ALLPI and the ALLPI Team The meeting was held in an open-air space. The KLDC team appreciated the recovery of the ALLPI Executive Director from the serious illness. Various issues were discussed in the meeting, among them was the outstanding legacy left by Prof. Mwinyihija at KLDC, including the contributions made to KLDC by Mr. Harrison Mungai (currently working for ALLPI) and Mr. Charles Mwangi who was part of KLDC entourage. Finally, the delegates visited the ALLPI building which is undergoing major building maintenance.
The second activity was discussing the activities of ALLPI at Member States level and particularly in Kenya. This activity was organized at Ambassador Hotel in town by ALLPI. Delegates were welcomed by Mr. Ghebregziabher Gebremedhin, the Programs Coordinator (PC) of ALLPI, and briefed them about the ALLPI activities in Member States. The PC highlighted he potential of the leather sector in Africa in terms of employment and wealth creation, and ALLPI’s Mandate and Strategic Focus.
The PC then appreciated the unreserved support and commitment of the Government of Kenya in general and KLDC in particular to the Kenya leather sector development towards integrated regional leather sector development.
After the presentation, delegates also appreciated the ALLPI’s effort to develop the regional leather sector in general and specifically commendable activities in Kenya. They also mentioned of Ethiopia’s effort to develop the sector and will commit themselves to the Kenya leather sector too. Finally, they thanked ALLPI for the hospitality and welcome reception to the delegates and wished ALLPI to have great role in the leather sector development agenda in Africa.
The delegates commended the activities of ALLPI and hoped for enhanced future collaboration for better leather sector development in Kenya. The PC also emphasized ALLPI’s commitment to collaborate and support the Kanya leather sector. Delegates were invited for lunch and the meeting was concluded.
