Riva del Garda, 13-14 June 2016 - As a follow up of Training Workshop "Setting up a Shoe Factory" organized in Lahore, Pakistan, UNIDO ITPO Italy held individual meetings with Pakistani Footwear Manufacturers during the 85^th Edition of Expo Riva Schuh 2016 in Riva Del Garda.  

UNIDO in collaboration with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) are supporting the Pakistan Footwear Manufacturers Association (PFMA) in order to analyze the needs of their members in terms of technology, know-how and production upgrading in order to outline investment projects profiles and increase Productivity and improve global market access

Eleven Pakistani Footwear Manufacturers participated on the 85th Edition of Expo RIVA SCHUCH, one of the most common problems hindering the growth of footwear industry are the outdated production methods, that are still prevailing in the shoe factories; and the lack of the footwear training institutes of quality and therefore the lack of skilled labor force, that could absorbed capacity in advanced machinery.

For this end, UNIDO is working with SMEDA and PFMA under the “Joint UNIDO- SMEDA – Italia Programme” to support the Government of Pakistan in its investment promotion efforts aimed to stimulate industrialization by developing strategies which have a direct impact on SME development and growth, employment creation and technological upgrading.

The objective of the Project, financed by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, is to assist in the development of SMEs by focusing on their technology upgrading, employment generation potential as well as the creation of joint ventures and access to financing.