The COMESA/LLPI Delegates composed of the Executive Director, Dr Mwinyihija Mwinyikione and the Value Chain Expert, Professor Mekonnen Hailemariam attended the 49th Leather Research Industry Get-Together (LERIG) 2015 Conference held from January 28 to 30, 2015 in Chennai, India.

In recognition of the COMESA-Leather and Leather Products Institute (COMESA/LLPI) support to the Ethio-International Footwear Cluster  Cooperatives Society (EIFCCOS) ,the Management of the Cluster Society awarded a Certificate of Gratitude to the COMESA/LLPI.

COMESA/LLPI Quarterly Newsletter

Dr. Mwinyikione Mwinyihija, Executive Director of COMESA/LLPI, graduated from the Swiss Management Center University in Malta with doctorate in management (D.Mngt.), on October 2, 2014, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Joseph Muscat, the Prime Minister of Malta graced the graduation ceremony. Dr. Mwinyihija’s Doctoral work entitled “Conceptualization of Opportunity Management towards Value Addition Strategy for the Leather Sector in Kenya will have a wider application in the region for promoting value addition, productivity, competitiveness and trade integration. Dr Mwinihija has already published 8 articles from his doctoral work on peer reviewed reputable journals.

COMESA-Leather and Leather Products Institute (COMESA/LLPI) and the Sudan University of Science and Technology (Department of Leather Engineering and Technological Leather Industry Incubator) have formalized their collaborative activities in leather sector development through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 25 September 2014.

The COMESA-Leather and Leather Products Institute’s organized and fully sponsored consultative workshop for the Burundi Leather Sector Strategy formulation was held at Martha Hotel, Bujumbura, from August 21^st to 22^nd 2014.

The formulated Strategy will serve as a road map to design and implement programmes and projects for the development and modernization of the Burundi leather sector so that it contributes to the country’s poverty reduction and job & wealth creation efforts. The workshop that was organized in collaboration with the Minstere du Commercede l’Industrie, des Posts et du Tourisme was preceded by COMESA/LLPI Experts’ Visits and meetings with the value chain actors and concerned stakeholders.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has endorsed the National Leather Value Chain Strategy on September 13 2014. It was devised in cooperation with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa - Leather and Leather Products Institute (COMESA/LLPI) and the Eritrean Leather and Allied Industries Association.