Addis Ababa, 31 May 2013 – Italy has reaffirmed its full support for the work of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in providing technical assistance to the Ethiopian leather industry.

During a ceremony in Addis Ababa today, attended by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Lapo Pistelli, the State Minister of Industry, AtoTadesse Haile, and UNIDO representatives, Italy pledged some EUR 750,000 towards a project to be implemented by UNIDO in the next two years. The grant will be made available by the Italian Development Cooperation.

The project is part of the Ethio-Italian cooperation framework for 2013-2015.

During the last ten years, UNIDO and the Italian Development Cooperation have worked together to provide support for Ethiopia’s leather sector, strengthen the technical and managerial skills of tanneries, develop small and medium enterprises, and support the Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI).

The new project will also help micro, small and medium enterprises improve the quality of their products in order to comply with domestic and international standards, increasing their competitiveness.