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Addis Ababa February 20/2013 The 6th All Africa Leather Fair (AALF- 2013) jointly organized by Ethiopian Leather Industries Association and Leather Industry Development Institute opened here on Wednesday.
Speaking at the opening of the Fair, Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn said Ethiopia has not been benefitting from its huge livestock resource as it was exporting raw skins and hides rather than value added products for a long time.
Hailemariam said the government has put in place policies and strategies to enable the sector become globally competitive through export of value added products as part of the activities to help the country benefit from the resource.
Ethiopia has envisaged to secure 500 million US dollars from the sector by 2015, he said.
Launched in 2008 by the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, this year’s event attracted 48 companies from 22 countries.
The companies are chemical suppliers, leather machinery suppliers, accessories and components of footwear and technology, human power training institutions, buyers and sellers of leather and leather products, among others.
Close to 2000 international visitors are expected to visit the leather fair, a platform, which links Ethiopia with the rest of the world.
The event is also expected to help investors in the sector to consolidate market bonds.
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