Three partnership agreements and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting and strengthening the handicraft sector were signed on Monday in Rabat, on the sidelines of the 9th edition of the International Handicrafts Forum.
The first agreement consists of a memorandum of understanding on facilitating access to financing and guarantee mechanisms for stakeholders in the handicraft sector. It was signed between the Secretariat of State in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the Maison de l’Artisan, and Tamwilcom. The MoU seeks to provide artisans and professionals with tailored financing and guarantee solutions geared toward productive investment, support the development of high value-added exports, and enhance the sector’s competitiveness at both national and international levels.
A second partnership agreement was signed between the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE) and the Maison de l’Artisan. This agreement aims to strengthen the positioning of handicraft stakeholders in foreign markets and enhance their export capacities by improving market intelligence, fostering networking among sector players, increasing the operational efficiency of handicraft enterprises, and supporting access to international markets in order to boost sector exports.
As part of efforts to support the digital transformation of the handicraft sector, a third partnership agreement focusing on the creation of the digital shopping platform “Morocco Handmade” was signed between the Secretariat of State in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the Maison de l’Artisan, and Marjane Mall. The partnership provides for the launch of an e-commerce platform dedicated to the marketing of Moroccan handicraft products, with the aim of strengthening the economic inclusion of artisans, expanding marketing channels, enhancing the visibility of handicraft products, and diversifying income sources for sector stakeholders.
In addition, a partnership agreement was signed between the Secretariat of State in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the Maison de l’Artisan, and the Moroccan Export Credit Insurance Company (SMAEX). This agreement seeks to consolidate the export insurance ecosystem for handicraft professionals by securing international trade operations, promoting a risk management culture, and developing insurance solutions tailored to the specificities of the handicraft sector, while supporting artisans’ integration into global distribution chains.
Held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the 9th International Handicrafts Forum (February 9–15), organized by the Secretariat of State in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy in coordination with the Maison de l’Artisan, is taking place under the theme “Handicrafts: Towards a New Dynamic of Investment and High Value-Added Exports.” The Forum aims to showcase traditional craftsmanship passed down through generations, celebrate the richness, diversity and authenticity of Moroccan artisans’ creations, and encourage the establishment of partnerships between artisans and key stakeholders at the national and international levels.
