Organized by the State Secretariat in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, in coordination with the Maison de l’Artisan, under the theme “Handicrafts: toward a new dynamic of investment and high value-added exports”, the forum aims to highlight artisanal know-how passed down from generation to generation and to celebrate the richness, diversity and authenticity of Moroccan artisans’ creations.
The event, whose opening ceremony was attended in particular by Adviser to His Majesty the King Mr. Andre Azoulay, as well as several ambassadors accredited in Rabat, also seeks to promote the establishment of partnerships and to strengthen complementarity between artisans and the various components of the handicrafts ecosystem at both national and international levels.
In an address on the occasion, the State Secretary in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, Lahcen Saadi, highlighted the evolution and momentum currently experienced by the national handicrafts sector, as well as the ongoing initiatives related to valorization, training, export development and investment support in the sector.
The handicrafts sector employs 22 percent of the national workforce, contributes 7 percent to GDP, records export growth of 7.6 percent, and accounts for 10 percent of tourism foreign currency revenues through the purchase of handicraft products, Mr. Saadi said, noting that women represent 54 percent of the sector’s workforce.
He also reported an unprecedented record growth in exports, driven by the involvement of all stakeholders, specifying that new markets include in particular the American market, which absorbs 49 percent of Moroccan exports, as well as the French market at 10.5 percent and the Turkish market at 6 percent.
For her part, the Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, Fatima-Zahra Ammor, indicated that the handicrafts sector achieved exceptional and unprecedented results in 2025, with direct exports reaching a record level of approximately 1.2 billion dirhams, up 11 percent compared to 2024.
Meanwhile, the Minister Delegate in charge of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies, Karim Zidane, recalled that within the framework of the specific support system intended for very small, small and medium-sized enterprises, aimed at strengthening productive capacities across most economic sectors and creating decent jobs, particularly in handicrafts, the sector’s productive, artistic and utilitarian activities have been classified among the branches eligible for support across all regions of the Kingdom.
He added that the new momentum experienced by the handicrafts sector, as a foundation of local identity and a vector of its international outreach, now offers promising investment opportunities that reconcile economic profitability with sustainable social impact, particularly in the areas of modernizing production units, innovation, and integration into modern value chains linked to the creative economy, tourism and culture.
As for the State Secretary in charge of Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira, he stressed that the theme of this edition clearly reflects the profound transformation of the sector, moving from a logic of preserving identity to one of economic positioning, and from local production to production oriented toward high value-added international markets.
Mr. Hejira noted that the concentration of exports in certain regions requires extending this export dynamic to all regions of the Kingdom, in line with the principle of territorial equity, particularly in areas where handicrafts constitute a key economic lever, through encouraging young people to pursue artisanal training and integrating them into the preservation of national heritage.
The President of the Federation of Handicrafts Chambers, Sidati Chaggaf, for his part, explained that the current challenge is no longer limited to preserving heritage or improving production conditions, but essentially lies in establishing a new dynamic of investment and export based on high value added, quality, innovation and sustainable competitiveness.
The current phase requires a shift from a logic of limited production to one of productive investment, from occasional exports to organized and structured exports, and from handicraft products in their raw form to high technological value products, bearing a strong Moroccan identity and capable of accessing high-end international markets, he said.
The program of the forum, which brings together more than 500 participants from Morocco and abroad, around sixty artisans, cooperatives and companies operating in the handicrafts sector, includes in particular a ministerial conference focused on “The handicrafts sector: promising investment and financing opportunities”, as well as another conference on “Moroccan handicrafts and international markets: market access strategies, positioning and sustainable growth”, in addition to the signing of memorandums and partnership agreements.
Editorial team/le7tv