Burkina Faso : Ibrahim Traoré calls for crafts to power industrial future at SIAO 2026
At the official opening of the 2026 Ouagadougou International Crafts Fair (SIAO), Burkina Faso’s President and Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, urged a rethink of crafts’ role in national development, arguing the sector should no longer be seen only as a legacy of the past but as a key lever for the country’s industrial future.
In his address, Traoré stressed the need to turn cultural heritage into real economic strength.
Valuing local know-how, he said, must go hand in hand with local processing of products to create added value, jobs and lasting income for communities.
African crafts, he insisted, must become a major player in the continent’s industrialization not merely preserving traditions but keeping them alive through modern, competitive value chains geared toward regional and international markets.
The president also called for greater support for the reach of African crafts by encouraging innovation, creativity and sector organization.
The goal is to help artisans better structure production, access financing and win new markets.
The vision aligns with the 18th edition of SIAO, which focuses on synergies between crafts and industrialization.
Jean YEMPABOU
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