The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Launches Its First Regional Forum on the Leather Industry
A forum to boost regional industrialization
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) recently held its very first Regional Forum on the Leather Industry in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, marking a significant milestone for the industrialization of this strategic sector.
Supported by the German government, the event brought together over 50 participants, including government representatives, private sector actors, researchers, and experts. The main objective was to lay the groundwork for a regional strategy aimed at enhancing the competitiveness, quality, and industrial integration of the leather sector across SADC member countries.
Calicious Tutalife, a SADC official, emphasized that this initiative aligns with the organization’s long-term vision, particularly the 2015–2063 Industrialization Strategy, which seeks to make the industrial sector a catalyst for sustainable development and regional economic integration.
Key issues discussed: harmonization and innovation
Discussions at the forum focused on several essential areas:
- Harmonizing national policies to facilitate cross-border trade and create a common regulatory framework.
- Promoting innovation and investment within the leather value chain.
- Improving the quality of African products to better meet international market standards.
- Enhancing access to local, regional, and global markets, a crucial challenge for product valorization.
A regional roadmap is expected to be developed soon to guide these efforts and ensure the sustainable transformation of the leather sector in Southern Africa.
A sector with strong socio-economic potential
The leather industry is an economic pillar for many African countries, representing a significant source of employment and income, particularly in rural areas. In West Africa alone, it contributes about 2% of the regional GDP and employs over 3 million people.
Across the continent, despite abundant animal resources and a growing global demand for leather products, the sector faces major challenges: international competition, infrastructure constraints, variable product quality, and often traditional practices that lack modernization.
A regional approach for sustainable development
The launch of this regional forum by SADC comes at a time when collective initiatives are recognized as crucial for addressing the challenges of the leather sector in Africa. They enable resource pooling, sharing of best practices, and strengthening the technical capacities of stakeholders.
This regional approach complements multilateral efforts aimed at promoting the leather supply chain, improving quality standards, and facilitating access to international markets in response to the increasing demands of globalization.
Perspectives for the leather industry in Southern Africa
Thanks to this momentum, the leather sector in Southern Africa could become a driving force for industrial growth, job creation, and regional economic integration. The implementation of the planned roadmap will contribute to better structuring the sector, positively impacting local economies and the international competitiveness of African products.
