Moroccan handicrafts make their mark on the global stage with a new agreement.
In an effort to enhance the positioning of Moroccan artisanal products in international markets, the Ministry of State responsible for Crafts and Social and Solidarity Economy, along with Dar Sinaa Foundation, signed a partnership agreement yesterday, Thursday, with the Ministry of State responsible for Foreign Trade. The goal is to encourage Moroccan artisans to move towards exporting, boost the turnover of the artisanal sector, and strengthen the role of its products as ambassadors of Moroccan heritage and identity worldwide.
The concerned government sectors are optimistic about this agreement, which has a budget of nearly 30 million dirhams, aimed at improving the performance of stakeholders in this sector through training, support, and simplifying administrative procedures. Additionally, the adoption of digital platforms as a modern means for marketing and promotion is expected to enhance the global presence of Moroccan handicrafts at international fairs and forums, while supporting artisans in their path to economic empowerment and trade openness.
Lahcen Essaadi, Secretary of State for Crafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, stated that “the signed agreement is a product of cooperation, partnership, and communication between the government sectors responsible for traditional crafts and foreign trade.” He added that “the crafts sector achieves exports worth 1.1 billion dirhams. Thus, the challenge today is to develop this figure and support Moroccan artisans and cooperatives as well as companies to strengthen their presence in international markets.”
Essaadi emphasized that “there is great demand for Moroccan handicraft products from many countries, especially the United States, which is the world’s largest importer of Moroccan zellige.” He highlighted that “this agreement will enable artisans to strengthen their position in this market and open up to other markets, thus boosting their economic income and creating more jobs in this promising sector, which enjoys royal support and occupies a significant place in the government’s program contracts with Moroccan citizens.”
The Secretary of State for Crafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy confirmed that “this agreement includes provisions related to training Moroccan artisans and supporting cooperatives and companies working in the handicraft sector, which employs more than 2.6 million people, to strengthen their capabilities to access foreign markets and understand these markets’ needs, in addition to improving the quality of Moroccan products and ensuring they meet international standards.”
Omar Hajira, Secretary of State with the Minister of Industry and Trade responsible for foreign trade, noted that “the signed partnership agreement aims to elevate the handicraft sector, which has become a focus of international attention.” He added that “this partnership aims to strengthen communication mechanisms with global markets through various channels and means, including encouraging artisans and companies to transition into exporting businesses.”
During the signing ceremony, the government official stated: “As part of this agreement, two digital platforms will be made available to artisans as part of the digital transformation, which is one of the government’s main challenges. The first platform is TIJARA, which relies on artificial intelligence to provide stakeholders in this sector with essential information about international markets and the various administrative procedures related to accessing these markets.”
He added that “the second platform is Trade.ma, which aims to enhance the presence of Moroccan handicraft products in e-commerce platforms,” stressing that “the main objective of all these initiatives is to develop handicraft exports and finance companies and cooperatives to achieve global visibility for their products.”
