Signing a Memorandum of Understanding within the framework of the Competitiveness and Growth Support Program for SMEs in Palestine

The Cluster for the Footwear and Leather Industry and the Small Enterprises Center (SEC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) within the framework of the Competitiveness and Growth Support Program for SMEs in Palestine, which is implemented by Global Communities and supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), at the headquarters of the Hebron Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Mr. Adnan Natsheh, Vice President of the Hebron Chamber, welcomed the attendees and stressed the Chamber's permanent support and open cooperation for any initiative that would support this vital sector, for his part, Mr. Amer Arafa, Chairman of the Hebron leather and shoe cluster and President of the Palestinian Leather Industries Federation, stressed the importance of this project, which comes within the group's strategy to promote the sector despite all the difficult circumstances and strenuous challenges facing the leather and footwear sector in particular and the industry in general, and thanked all partners for their cooperation and constant keenness. To stand next to the shoe and leather industry.
During his speech, Mr. Mahmoud Abu Amira, Director of the program, expressed his optimism about the project's upcoming interventions, stressing the project's keenness to address the priority issues of the leather and footwear sector, which were identified through detailed studies carried out by the project in partnership with representatives of the sector and its workers. To clarify the proposed interventions, Mr. Ahmed Abu Bakr, Director of the Small Enterprises Center (SEC), stated that the project will focus on local and international e-marketing, improving the quality of products through various design programs, cooperation with research and educational institutions to enhance creativity and promote the competitiveness of the sector, as well as working on developing specifications and metrology in partnership with the Palestinian Standards and Metrology Institution. During the discussion, Engineer Ibrahim Jabarin, Director of the Standards Organization in Hebron, explained some of the details that the institution is working on that would support the export of shoes and improve their quality. At the end of the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed, followed by a visit to the Center for the Development of the Footwear and Leather Industry and the Hebron Job Exhibition.