The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Ethiopian leather product companies took part in an international expo on leather products which was held in Paris.
Under the sponsorship of JICA (Japanese International Cooperation Agency) a group of companies including Tikur Abay Shoes S.C Ramsay S.C, and Ethio- Leather Industry PLC (ELICO), exhibited leather bags, shoes and other leather outfits for the first time.
The China-Africa Overseas Leather Factory, Ethiopia announced that Chinese tariff free policy for exports from least developed countries is a benefit.
The tariff free policy allows products to be competitive in the international market according to Yacob Tadesse, Administrative Manager of China-Africa Overseas Leather Factory.
The policy also encourages other investors to come to Ethiopia to invest because of the advantages it provides to export to China he explained.
Ethiopia's leather and leather products industry generated approximately 23.4 million USD in export revenue during the last nine months of the fiscal year, according to the Leather and Leather Products Industry Research and Development Center.
The Ethiopian Leather Industry Development Institute launched a leather and leather products training course in eight technical and vocational colleges in the current academic year.
The training program was launched in Addis Ababa City Administration and Oromia Regional State according Berhanu Serjebo Director of Corporate Communication with the Ministry of Industry.
The courses are intended to produce a steady supply of skilled professionals for the leader sector to support efforts to modernize the processing techniques within the sector.
The Ethiopian Leather Industries Association announced plans to obtain 206 million US dollars from the export of leather and leather products this budget year.
It is expected that the revenue will be raised from the export of finished and semi-processed leather products according to Abdisa Adugna Secretary General of the Ethiopian Leather Industries Association.
