Namibia is one of the six SADC countries, which have since developed the National Leather Strategic Work Plans as the region trudges towards implementation of the regional leather framework.  

This came to the fore ahead of the second edition of the SADC Regional Leather Forum slated for July 23 and July 24 in Durban.

In a statement released from the SADC headquarters in Gaborone, the regional bloc said this year's forum forms part of the implementation of the SADC Regional Leather Value Chain Model Policy Framework.

The Head of Communications and Public Relations at SADC, Barbara Lopi, said countries are taking steps towards aligning their national leather plans with the regional model policy framework.

"Since the Framework's adoption, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe have developed National Leather Strategic Work Plans, while the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique are advancing similar implementation plans, bringing the total to six Member States with nationally aligned implementation processes."

According to Lopi, through enhanced regional cooperation, the forum aims to advance a competitive, inclusive and sustainable leather industry that supports industrialisation, job creation, intra-regional trade and economic transformation in line with the 2015-2063 SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap.

Endorsed by the SADC Council of Ministers in 2023, the policy framework responds to the directive of the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration for Member States to provide annual feedback on implementation of the model policy.