Last month, Italy and Ethiopia inked an agreement to improve the skill of women entrepreneurs who want to work in the leather sector. The Italian embassy in Addis Ababa, said that the agreement, signed by Italian Ambassador Arturo Luzzi and Ethiopian Finance Minister Yasmin Wohabrebbi, focuses on assisting women in entering or growing in the leather industry.

The €1 million initiative seeks to promote women's entrepreneurial growth and job possibilities in the leather industry, as well as enhance entrepreneurial skills and increase market links and networking opportunities, according to a statement.

The two nations also agreed to work together to improve labour market intermediation, which will aid Ethiopia's economic development. According to a report in an Ethiopian newspaper, the main goal of the initiative, which has received a €4 million grant, is to enhance labour market results for the country's rural population by establishing effective public employment services.

The project's goal is to construct three prototype rural employment centres that will provide assistance to vulnerable job searchers around the country.