The export earnings of handicrafts have reached more than 350 million dinars in 2022, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, Mohamed Moez Belhassine said Friday in Kairouan, adding that this is a first.
In a statement to TAP on the sidelines of the regular meeting of local delegates of the National Handicrafts Office (ONA), the Minister said that the sector's indicators have improved.
The sector contributes 5% of GDP and employs around 350,000 people. It generates 6,000 jobs a year.
During the meeting, emphasis was placed on the importance of implementing the measures taken in favour of the handicraft sector, which were announced at a cabinet meeting held on March 23.
The participants also considered it essential to support young entrepreneurs in the social economy sector, facilitate administrative procedures and promote corporate citizenship.
They also called for the provision of raw materials and easier access to finance.
The meeting of the ONA's regional commissioners was an opportunity to review the activities and programmes organised by the Office's various regional delegations during 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, as well as the promotional programme for 2023, whether on a national, regional or international scale.
For his part, Faouzi Ben Halima, Managing Director of the ONA, pointed out that this meeting was an opportunity to monitor progress in the implementation of the Office's programmes at the regional level, to define appropriate solutions to problems and to examine the means to be implemented for the launch of actions programmed for the medium term, from now until 2025.
The Minister also visited workshops specialising in the manufacture of chased copper articles, and heard the concerns of craftsmen in this field. He then visited a sales and exhibition point for carpets and other handicrafts.
Belhassine also enquired about the "Easy Export" pilot project, which aims to facilitate the export of craft products via the Tunisian Post Office network.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse