The Leather and Shoe Cluster has held a strategy planning workshop in Hebron on Monday February 24th, 2014. Representatives of each the MoNE, the AFD, the FPCCIA, HCCI, the Palestinian Federation Industry, Federation of Leather Industries, along with others working in the leather and shoe sector in Hebron have attended this workshop.
The meeting has been launched in the head quarter of the Hebron Chamber for Commerce and Industry with a speech by the chairman of the chamber Mr. Mohammed Al-Herbawi, who has emphasized on the importance of the PSDCP project in Palestine and the important role of the Leather and Shoe sector in the economy of Hebron in specific and Palestine in general. Mr. Al-Herbawi affirmed the fact that they are offering the full support of the chamber to make this project succeed in Hebron considering its strategic importance.
Mr. Jacky Amprou, the French Agency Representative, has then gave a speech clarifying the role of the cluster project in developing the Palestinian economy, pointing out the role of the French Agency in supporting the Palestinian private sector through this project and some other future projects.
A welcoming speech was given by the project’s Team Leader Dr. Peter Wilson; with a strong emphasis on the importance of this workshop which will hopefully result with a good strategy and a business work plan that is going to be an outcome of the sector’s needs that has been listed by those who work in it. Moreover, Dr. Wilson has pointed out that this is the first time the cluster approach is applied in Palestine on five different clusters in Jerusalem, the West bank and the Gaza Strip targeting different strategic sectors. The cluster approach is not only being applied on the Leather and Shoe cluster in Hebron, but also on the Palm Trees Cluster in Gaza, the Furniture Cluster in Salfit, the Stone and Marble Cluster in North Hebron and Bethlehem, along with the Tourism and Creative Arts Cluster in Jerusalem.
Following these speeches, Mr. Tareq Abu Al-Failat, the chairman of the Federation of the Leather Industries has given thanks for the chamber for hosting and supporting the project, and each and everyone helping in supporting this project. Moreover, he emphasized on the vital collaborative relationship that the Leather and Shoe Cluster has with the Federation of the Leather Industries to support this important sector.
The workshop has then been launched with a situation analysis for the Leather and Shoe sector in Hebron, by the Hebron cluster manager Mr. Mohammed Husain, which has included a detailed explanation on the statistics and analysis on the sector’s current situation, on which research has been conducted earlier on random samples working in the Leather and Shoe sector. The samples have included tanneries, designers, exhibitions, and importers. Moreover, the cluster manager has made a SWOT analysis, thus has come up with the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that may face the cluster.
By the end of the presentation, the guests have voted and prioritized the areas of improvement regarding the cluster, in order to come up with a successful strategy and a work plan. Consequently, the guests have been divided to working groups and a discussion has arisen on the activities and projects suggested to support the cluster in Hebron.
It is fair to mention that the Private Sector Development Cluster Project is funded by the French Agency for Development and implemented by the Ministry of National Economy in collaboration with the Federation of the Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture and expected to last for three years. The Hebron Chamber for Commerce and Industry is considered one of the supporters to this Leather and Shoe Cluster in Hebron.
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