Seven-Year UNIDO Leather Project Closure Ceremony Held

Addis Ababa, June 17, 2025 (ENA) -- A UNIDO leather project closure ceremony that has been running for seven years with the view to improving the leather sector's sustainability and competitiveness in Ethiopia was held today.

Speaking on the occasion, Manufacturing Industry Development Institute Director-General Milkesa Jagema said the project has helped communities, created jobs, and improved raw hides quality.

 

“The UNIDO leather project has been catalyst for change, strengthening our national capacity, empowering communities and laying a solid foundation for sustainable employment creation across the leisure value chain,” he stated.

UNIDO LISEC Project Manager and Director of SSP of the Division of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, Aurelia Patrizia Calabro, pointed out that the project aimed to improve Ethiopia's leather sector by making it sustainable and competitive.

“We introduced six modern slaughtering machines in selected abattoirs in Adama, Modjo, Bishoftu and Addis Ababa. This technology marks a significant advancement in slaughtering practices, directly contributing to the production of higher-quality raw hides and skins --- the essential inputs for the leather value chain and the foundation for producing quality leather and leather products.”

 

According to Calabro, the project has improved the quality of hides and skins using modern slaughtering machines and created training materials for quality assurance and footwear; and leather goods facility in Modjo was modernized to help unemployed youth start businesses, promoting workplace safety and women's participation.

“Four tanneries in Ethiopia have been assisted in obtaining international certification from the Leather Working Group (LWG). ELICO Awash and ELICO Abyssinia Tanneries have attained the Gold standard; Batu Tannery has secured Silver, and Colba Tannery is currently awaiting peer review following its audit.”

This, she pointed out increases the count of LWG compliant tanneries in Ethiopia to six, aiding in a collective total of ten across Africa.

Furthermore, a regional satellite laboratory has been set up in Modjo to improve local testing services and provide support for quality assurance, in line with the upcoming Modjo Leather Park initiative.

Beyond technology, knowledge generation and capacity building were prioritized, Calabro added.

“We conducted in-depth studies that have resulted in valuable knowledge products to support sectoral learning, training, and policymaking.”

On her part, Mercedes Marine Nortes from the EU Delegation to Ethiopia said the good practices and lessons from this project will continue to inspire and inform the future development of Ethiopia's leather value chain-driving, responsible production, environmental sustainability, and inclusive job creation.

 

She stressed that the EU is well aware that significant challenges remain.

Nortes finally noted that “Ethiopia's leather sector holds enormous potential for growth and investment, particularly in creating quality employment for its growing youth population.”