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All Africa Leather Fair Opens

Ethiopia - All African Leather Fair opens

“Ethiopia and east Africa will be the center of global leather industry,” Meles

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Source: Capital

The first All African Leather Fair exhibition was opened by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on January 24, 2008 at the Millennium Hall in the presence of hundreds of exhibitors from Ethiopia and abroad. Meles stated on the occasion that Ethiopia would become the world’s center of leather industry.

Yigezaw Assefa, board director of the Ethiopian Leather Industries Association (ELIA), said on his part that the Fair was organized with the primary objective of setting up a platform where Africa and other countries can come to one place and display what they are offering in terms of their leather-wealth and thereby benefit from business networking at the fair.

According to Yigezaw, the All African Leather Fair is planned to be an annual event for Addis Ababa. This launch event has been able to attract 63 exhibitors from overseas, comprising of 26 companies from eleven African countries, 23 from six European nations and another 12 companies in leather related business from five Asian countries. The local component consist of 102 exhibitors.

Yigezaw added that the Fair will host technical seminars and as an international venue, provides a global dimension in networking and experience sharing.
The P.M. applauded that the All African Leather Fair is to be held regularly and added that his government will help organizers to facilitate the endeavor.

One third of the world’s animal population is found in Africa, continued Meles and added that the Fair would enable the sharing of experience on the utilization of resources and thereby increase the income the continent secures from the sector.

“In the business-world of today, actors need to be informed of events in other markets and that is where the All African Leather Fair comes in. 2008 is instrumental to promote trade and attract investors,” said Girma Biru, Minister of Trade and Industry and added that the contribution in this regard is expected to be significant and it is hoped to create a platform, where industries can bring out their potentials in the market place and establish a strong networking tree among global players.

State Minister of Trade and Industry, Tadesse Haile, said on his part that currently, a substantial loan of 1.5 bln ETB (to be replenished annually) has been earmarked by the government of Ethiopia, to be managed by the Development Bank of Ethiopia, dedicated to the investment areas that generate foreign currency, including the leather industry. The package includes incentives and other support to the leather industry.
The aim of this Fair is to bring together from different countries; tanners, footwear and other leather goods manufacturers, leather equipment and technology suppliers, chemical and inputs suppliers, manpower training institutions, trade promotion organizations specialized in the industry.

In Ethiopia, the insignificant number of tanning industries ten years ago currently has risen to twenty seven and more are under formation. All of them are of considerable size with the smallest having a soaking capacity of 3000 skins per day of eight working hours. The daily output of the export standard footwear has now reached more than ten thousand pairs. This is expected to rise to at least twenty thousand in two years. The fair is expected to boost Ethiopia’s income share, currently less than one percent in the international leather market, valued of 92 billion Birr.

Ethiopia possesses one of the world’s largest livestock populations with 40.8 mln heads of cattle, 25 mln heads of sheep and lambs and 23 mln goats.

It is recalled that Ethiopia hosted an international leather fair in 2004. The 4th Meet in Africa 2004 was held October 6-9 and welcomed 270 exhibitors from 20 countries: 90 from Ethiopia, 124 from other African countries and 55 from outside the continent. In 2006, the 5th Meet in Africa International Leather Fair was held in Egypt and the 6th edition will be held in the Sudan for three days in November 2008.