The East African Community or EAC Leather Forum recommended for the creation of a readily accessible regional market for leather products.
It also calls for a conducive business environment to promote regional value addition in the leather sector.
The forum was convened by the East African Business Council together with 40 industry champions in the leather manufacturing from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
According to World Bank Kenya Leather Industry, leather and its products among the most widely traded agro-based commodities in the world, accounts for 150 billion UD dollars a year, more than five times that of coffee.
‘The EAC and the partner states prioritized the development of the leather for job creation to provide affordable, new and quality options for products to citizens, says Jean Baptiste Havugimana, EAC Director Productive Sectors.
East African Business Council Chief Executive Officer, Peter Mathuki, says leather is one of the flagship sectors of the EAC.
He stresses the need for continuous and collective advocacy to ensure effective implementation of the regional EAC leather and leather products strategy.
Beatrice Mwasi, Secretary-General of Kenya Leather Apex Society urges EAC leather industry to be more innovative and improve the product.