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SIAT 2025 More than 1.4 million jobs driven by crafts
The craft sector continues to demonstrate its economic weight, with more than 1.4 million direct jobs generated, according to Abdelkrim Berki, director general of the National Chamber of Crafts and Trades (CNAM), on the occasion of the opening, this Sunday, of the 26th International Fair of Traditional Crafts (SIAT 2025) at the Moufdi-Zakaria Palace of Culture, in Algiers.
The craft sector aims to be ambitious, modern and internationally oriented, while affirming its heritage and creative wealth, according to Mr. Berki, who highlighted the essential role of this sector in the national economy, specifying that Algeria currently has 470,266 artisans. He added that the sector contributes 400 billion dinars to the national GDP. “We are not going to be happy about it, because we aspire to better,” he nuanced, before presenting the ambitions of the CNAM, those of reaching 700,000 artisans by 2030, creating 2 million jobs and increasing the contribution to GDP beyond 400 billion dinars.
This edition of SIAT, which will take place from November 9 to 15, 2025, is placed under the theme “Traditional Algerian crafts: heritage, authenticity and artistic creativity”, coinciding with National Artisan Day. It will welcome 334 exhibitors, including 264 Algerian artisans and 70 foreigners from 12 countries. Several institutions and ministries will also be present, notably those of Vocational Training, Start-ups and Higher Education, as well as support systems such as NESDA and ANGEM. Alongside the commercial activities, three study days will be organized to enrich discussions and encourage reflection on developments in the sector.
Abdelkrim Berki also spoke about the modernization of this area, highlighting digitalization as a major lever. He highlighted “the creation of an artisan card incorporating a QR code, offering a lot of information and allowing it to be used by other institutions”. This card ensures, according to him, complete traceability of the craftsman’s journey until retirement, facilitates the collection of reliable statistics and makes it possible to anticipate activities likely to encounter difficulties.
The director general of the CNAM urged artisans to integrate modernity and design into their creations, while preserving the identity, heritage and traditions of their products. “The artisan must imperatively keep the identity and authenticity of his product, while adding a touch of modernity to make it accessible and visible on the international market,” he said, emphasizing the importance of following the evolution of customer needs and expectations.
Finally, to allow the general public to discover the potential of Algerian and global craftsmanship, free buses will be made available from six departure points, thus facilitating access to the Fair for all visitors and offering a unique opportunity to see up close the excellence and diversity of traditional crafts.