On July 22, 2025, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), with support from the German Government, launched its first-ever Regional Leather Forum in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The event aims to build stronger ties across the region’s leather industry and push for faster industrial growth and trade.
More than 50 participants joined the Forum, including government officials, private sector leaders, researchers and entrepreneurs. The goal is to work together to grow the leather sector through smart policies, shared knowledge and investment.
Mr. Calicious Tutalife from the SADC Secretariat opened the Forum and encouraged countries to fully engage in discussions to help shape the future of the industry.
“The leather industry has great potential for value addition and trade in our region. We must actively participate to move it forward”
Calicious Tutalife, Senior Programme Officer, Value Chains, SADC Secretariat
Giving the keynote speech, Mrs. Mary Chingonzoh from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce explained how the Forum is designed to create a shared action plan across the region.
She outlined three major focus areas:
Harmonising leather industry policies and rules between countries, reviewing progress on the SADC Leather Model Policy Framework and attracting more investment and boosting innovation in the sector
She also stressed the importance of teamwork between government and businesses to turn leather into a high-value sector for Southern Africa’s economy.
“The leather sector can be a driver of transformation if we build the right partnerships and align our efforts”
Mary Chingonzoh, Acting Director, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Zimbabwe
This Forum is part of SADC’s long-term plan, known as the Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063), which aims to shift the region from relying only on raw materials to building strong value-added industries.
The Forum continued with a two-day Business-to-Business (B2B) Workshop on July 23 and 24. Held under the theme “Accelerating Regional Integration: Building Sustainable Partnerships for Leather Value Chain Transformation,” the workshop brought together leather producers, tanners, designers, investors and policy makers.
Participants also toured local leather businesses in Bulawayo to learn about current operations and innovations. A dedicated showcase area allowed companies to display their products and network with potential partners.
This Forum and B2B Workshop backed by the German government marks a big step in Southern Africa’s efforts to grow its leather industry, create jobs and improve regional trade through cooperation and smart planning.
Source – SADC
