The Master Plan and a Business Plan for the Development of the Ethiopian Leather and Leather Products Industry (LLPI), developed jointly by UNIDO and the Government of Ethiopia, have now been officially adopted as Ethiopia’s strategic framework for all further development the Ethiopian Leather and Leather Products Industry. UNIDO formally received the good news in a letter to Director-General Carlos Magariños from Ethiopia's Minister of Trade and Industry, Girma Birru in July, 2005, requesting support in the implementation phase of the Business Plan.

The Master Plan and Business Plan received full endorsement by the National Export Coordination Committee chaired by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in June 2005, and were presented to all stakeholders of the sector by State Minister for Industry, Ato Tadesse Haile, on 5 July 2005.

The Master Plan provides the framework for the implementation of a five-year Development Programme, or Business Plan for the leather and leather products industry. The Business Plan proposes a product mix in which the footwear industry is the priority sector to be developed, mainly for export, followed by the leather garments and the leather goods industry.

UNIDO's leather specialist, Aurelia Calabro, said that Ethiopia is very serious in its intention to adopt an appropriate policy mix and plan of action for the leather a leather products industry to compete in the national, regional and global value chains.