Tanzania is the second-largest livestock production in Africa after Ethiopia. Despite thriving international demand for leather products and existing potential, Tanzania has not been able to tap that opportunity. Since the mid-1980s, the Tanzanian leather sector has experienced a sharp decline in many of its manufacturing operations resulting in most of the footwear and leather goods industry within the country was replaced by imports.

Indonesian leather’s product and quality have been widely known in international market. Leather industry is one of the biggest sector contributors to the Indonesian economic growth. Seeing the potentials in advancing its leather industry, Tanzania expressed its interest in learning from Indonesia. With decades of success in Vocational Education and Training, the Indonesian Ministry of Industry initiated the partnership on Leather Industry with the Tanzanian Ministries of Education & Training, Industry and Trade since November 2021 within the framework of South-South and Triangular Cooperation on TVET Indonesia – Tanzania - Germany (SSTC TVET). SSTC TVET which is shepherded by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as a member of National Coordination Team of South-South Cooperation Indonesia, focuses on the advancement of Leather Industry in Tanzania.

The cooperation, which is planned for implementation in December 2022 to March 2023, is introduced in partnership with Germany through the joint Indonesian-German projects, which are the “Strengthening Capacities for Policy Planning for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Indonesia and in the Global South (SDGs SSTC)”, the “Technical and Vocational Education and Training System Reform (TSR)” and relevant GIZ supported project in Tanzania.