Addis Ababa, August 26, 2022 (Walta) Ethiopian Ambassador to China, Teshome Toga, has called on Chinese enterprises to buy Ethiopian leather.
The ambassador made the call at virtual forum promoting Ethiopian leather and leather products to Chinese leather companies.
The forum was organized by Ethiopian Embassy in Beijing, China Leather Industry Association, the China Chamber of International Commerce Membership Department and Psearcher, a promotion company.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Teshome Toga, said that since the beginning of the China-Africa partnership in 2000, China has been a leading source of FDI and a major trading partner for Ethiopia.
According to the ambassador, Ethiopia’s exports to China in the 2021 fiscal year grew by eight percent compared to the previous year even though the trade balance still favors china.
Ethiopia exports sesame, coffee, soya beans, mung beans, spices, pulses, and a few industrial products such as finished leather to China. Leather exports revenue stood at around 130 million USD in 2020.
“The government has a clear policy and strategy to grow the leather industry’s annual export performance. The plan is to rake in over half a billion USD in the coming few years,” said Ambassador Teshome Toga while addressing the virtual event participant.
“I recommended that Chinese enterprises to buy world-class Ethiopian leather products and enjoy the genuine quality,” he concludes his remark.
The Chairman of the China Leather Industry Association, Li Yuzhong, said that the economic and trade cooperation between China and Ethiopia has good momentum.
“Ethiopia’s great potential in the sector would lays a solid foundation for the cooperation between the two sides in the leather industry,” said Li Yuzhong.
“China’s leather industry will continue to adhere to the concept of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit. That will build a new pattern for the development of China’s and Ethiopia’s leather industries” he added.
The Director General of the Ethiopian Leather Development Institute said that despite the impact of the COVID, there would be a great opportunity to enhance investment and trade in the sector together with Chinese leather companies.
At the forum, representatives of ELICO, Ker Ezhi and George Leather have given detailed explanation about their respective capacity and the sector in general.