A two-day National Stakeholder Workshop for the Development of the National Strategic Work Plan for Leather commenced today 5th February 2026 in Maputo, Mozambique with the call for accelerated efforts to strengthen leather value chain for job creation and sustainable development.
The workshop has been convened by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Government of the Republic of Mozambique with support from the Germany Government through the GIZ Cooperation for the Enhancement of SADC Regional Economic Integration (CESARE III) Programme.
The Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy for the Republic of Mozambique, Her Excellency Dr. Custódia Paunde opened the workshop, highlighting the importance of leather value chain and the need for coordinated efforts to transform the local leather industry into a competitive industry that can create jobs and spur sustainable economic growth.
Her Excellency Dr. Custódia Paunde expressed the Government of Mozambique’s firm commitment to industrialisation as a fundamental pillar of economic development, job creation, and the reduction of import dependence.
“By strengthening production, local processing, and the competitiveness of the leather sector and its products, Mozambique is positioned to take full advantage of regional, continental, and international integration, transforming leather into a strategic export product that generates employment, added value, and sustainable industrial development,” said Her Excellency Dr. Custódia Paunde.
She expressed gratitude to SADC and the Germany Government for supporting the development of the National Strategic Work Plan for Leather in Mozambique which is part of the domestication process of the SADC Regional Model Policy Framework for the Leather Sector.
The Programme Officer for Value Chains in the Directorate of Industrial Development and Trade at the SADC Secretariat, Mr. Farai Manhanga, highlighted that, as anchored in the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (SISR) 2015–2063, SADC has consistently recognised Regional Value Chains as a practical route to move economies up the value ladder, expand productive capacity, and deepen cross-border trade and investment in a way that creates jobs and builds resilient industries.
He called on the participants to the Workshop to produce high-impact recommendations and propose reforms and investments in the leather value chain that Mozambique can implement and that can strengthen regional trade and cooperation. “A Strategic Work Plan that is focused, time-bound, and owned by institutions and the private sector, will become an implementation tool that unlocks jobs, value addition and competitiveness,” said Mr. Manhanga.
On her part, the Head of Cooperation at the Germany Embassy in Mozambique, Christine de Barros Said hailed the convening of the Workshop, highlighting that the leather industry holds immerse potential for creating employment and driving economic development across the SADC region.
She said the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany is working with SADC and Member States to support the domestication of the SADC Leather Model Policy in Mozambique and DRC, enhancing the policy and regulatory environment with the aim of contributing to a more competitive and integrated leather value chain in the SADC region.
She called on the stakeholders to use the workshop as an important step to advance the development of the leather industry in Mozambique and to further broaden economic integration of the SADC region.
Participants to the Workshop have been drawn from Ministries responsible for Economy, Industry, Trade and Agriculture from the Government of Mozambique, SADC Secretariat, Cooperating Partners, Non-Governmental Organisations and Private Sector representatives in the leather sector. At the end of the Workshop, participants will identify policy and regulatory gaps, map best practices, and validate a feasible Strategic Plan for Leather in Mozambique.
