Egypt’s MSMEDA begins applying five-year plan to revive handicrafts

Egypt has begun implementing a five-year national strategy to revive its handicrafts industry, part of a wider push to diversify exports and generate employment.

The plan, running from 2025 to 2030, aims to raise annual exports of traditional crafts to $600 million, capture 70 per cent of the domestic market, and create around 120,000 new jobs, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, the strategy will help formalise a sector that remains dominated by small, often informal workshops, with a target of increasing registered enterprises by 10 per cent a year. It also calls for the development of 15 regional craft clusters to serve as anchors for production and training.

MSMEDA CEO Basel Rahmy said the agency had begun field visits to major production hubs in Kafr El-Sheikh and Beheira to assess artisans’ financial and technical needs. The government is also working with the national standards authority to develop export-grade specifications for globally sought-after crafts such as pottery and handwoven carpets.

The plan includes partnerships with rural tourism projects in Upper Egypt to promote traditional crafts to visitors, and the selection of 48 women-led enterprises for the SheTrades 2 Programme, which prepares businesses for international markets by improving quality and productivity.

Prepared with assistance from the French Development Agency (AFD), the strategy reflects Cairo’s effort to preserve the country’s cultural heritage while tapping its export potential. “The challenge is ensuring sustainability while turning craft into a competitive industry,” Rahmy said.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser