Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo
ZIMBABWE, in its capacity as the current Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), will tomorrow host the inaugural SADC Regional Leather Forum in Bulawayo in a development that marks a bold step towards advancing regional industrialisation and trade in the leather value chain.
Bulawayo, once regarded as the country’s industrial hub, has a long-standing history in the textile and leather industries, making it a fitting host for this landmark regional forum.
Organised with support from the German government through its main development agency, GIZ, under the Cooperation for the Enhancement of SADC Regional Economic Integration (CESARE) programme, the forum aims to harness the potential of the leather industry as a strategic sector for economic transformation in Southern Africa.
The event is expected to bring together over 50 participants, including policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, development partners and private sector representatives from across the region.
In a communiqué released yesterday, the SADC secretariat said the meeting is part of broader efforts to transform the region from an extractive, resource-based economy to one anchored in value addition, manufacturing, and high productivity, as outlined in the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063).
“The Southern African Development Community (SADC), with the support of the German government, will host the inaugural SADC Regional Leather Forum in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. This landmark event aims to accelerate regional industrialisation by strengthening the leather value chain across SADC Member States,” read the communiqué.
The one-day forum will serve as a dynamic platform to facilitate policy and regulatory harmonisation, assess progress on the implementation of the SADC Leather Regional Model Policy Framework and promote innovation, investment and trade across borders.
“The Forum will provide a space to explore how aligned policies, regional cooperation, and private sector engagement can improve competitiveness and sustainability in the leather sector,” said the SADC secretariat.
“The one-day event will feature presentations on the current state of the regional leather sector and a continental outlook by the African Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI).”
In line with the decision of the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration (MTF), representatives of Member States will be providing an update on their respective implementation of the Regional Leather Model Policy and Framework.
According to the SADC secretariat, the forum aims to generate actionable insights, foster policy alignment and produce a strategic roadmap to enhance product quality, sustainability and competitiveness across the region’s leather sector.
“Outcomes from the Forum will contribute to harmonising policies, improving product quality, and unlocking new export opportunities across the continent and globally,” said the SADC secretariat.
The meeting is part of SADC and Germany’s aim to promote value chain development, trade facilitation, and industrialisation across the region by strengthening institutions and fostering private sector engagement.
Germany has already played a pivotal role in leather sector development in the region, including the modernisation of tanneries, improvement of production standards and establishment of business linkages in countries such as Botswana and Namibia.
After the forum, SADC will host a two-day Business-to-Business (B2B) workshop on Wednesday and Thursday, which is expected to bring together key stakeholders in the leather industry to build strategic business linkages, foster innovation and advance regional industrialisation.
Participants will include manufacturers, tanners, designers, retailers, financiers, policymakers, and business support organisations from across the region.
The event provides a platform to share market intelligence, discuss sustainability and traceability practices, explore technological advancements in leather processing and engage in direct business matchmaking sessions.
