The Prime Minister – Head of Government, Joseph Dion Ngute has assured young people venturing into the craft sector of government’s continuous support for them to pursue their endeavors, as a means to fight unemployment and contribute to the country’s economic growth.

The Head of Government speaking this Tuesday, July 23 at the National Museum while launching the 8th edition of the Cameroon International Handicrafts Fair dubbed SIARC.

In attendance were government officials, entrepreneurs, actors in the handicraft sector, investors amongst many others.

“I would like to invite craftsmen to comply with their administrative, financial and social obligations in particular by registering free of charge with the councils in their respective localities and join the voluntary social insurance scheme,” The Statesman noted

As a special guest, the Burkinabe Minister of Industrial Development, Trade and Handicraft, Serges Gnaniodem Poda in his inaugural speech, seized the opportunity to invite the Prime Minister for two major events dedicated to the promotion of African handicrafts: the 2nd edition of the international handicrafts fair in Congo from August 13-25, and as a guest of honor to the 17th edition of the Ouagadougou International Handicraft Fair to take place in October.

About The Fair

This year’s event has a double objective: to promote, commercialize, train and exchange around artisanal works, and to present the digitalization as a factor of sustainable development in the craft sector and global inclusion of artisans.

It is in this framework that, for the 8th edition of the International Salon of Artisanat du Cameroun (SIARC), the Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA) has focused its attention on the theme “The digital as a factor of sustainable development of the craft sector and global inclusion of artisans”.

Through this theme, the artisans will understand the opportunities of this transformation and identify the mechanisms allowing to make the digital one of the pillars of popularization of their activities and their products in order to better sell at the national and international level in order to bring an adapted response to the problematic of the artisanal sector for the achievement of the economic objectives.

Innovations

The 8th edition of the SIARC, has about 600 Cameroonian craft me and women, handicrafts enterprises, and vendors of artisanal products, as well as sectoral and various public, parapublic, and private institutions. Foreign delegations invited to the Cameroon international event are present with Tunisia as the guest of honour.

The SIARC 2024 will feature principal innovations, including highlighting the artisanal heritage of each of the ten regions of Cameroon and presenting the specific features of each of these regions. Several other innovations are on the agenda, including a pavilion for the appropriation of the process of standardization and certification of artisanal products; 3-day workshops for the acquisition of skills in certain craft professions, notably in painting, bread and cake making from manioc flour, hairstyling, and the “artisanal and regional discoveries” days.

The opening ceremony witnessed a dance cultural display of Cameroon’s cultural zones, notably the Sawa, the Grassfield and FangBetsi.

Major Activities of SIARC 2024:

1. Conferences-debates: a series of presentations on the central theme of the SIARC.
2. Professional Exhibition: an open space for the professional exhibition of national and international artisans, administrations, and announcers.
3. Innovation and Creativity Pavilion: a stand dedicated to original and creative artisanal works.
4. Formalization Pavilion.
5. Health space where participants/visitors will be able to receive free blood sugar, blood pressure, and HIV tests.
6. Competency Acquisition Workshop: intended to initiate disadvantaged youth and girls in the practice of artisanal trades.
7. Selection of the best artisans and announcement of prize winners.
8. Gastronomic Space.
9. Cultural Animations: a place of entertainment animated by traditional artists (musicians, singers, dancers, humorists, stylists and models).

Che Tembuck