Cairo: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli affirmed that reviving traditional and handmade crafts is a key government priority, as part of broader efforts to preserve this cultural heritage and ensure its sustainability. His remarks came during a meeting held on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at the cabinet headquarters in New Alamein city to review the National Strategy for Handicrafts (2025-2030).
According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting was attended by Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsy, CEO of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) Basil Rahmy, Deputy CEOs Raafat Abbas and Mohamed Medhat, value chain development consultant Hisham Emad Abdelaziz, and development and strategy consultant Aqila Mohamed Rafiq. Madbouli noted that, given the involvement of several entities in this sector, it was necessary to develop a unified national strategy.
The Ministry of Social Solidarity and MSMEDA were tasked with coordinating efforts and aligning perspectives, in collaboration with other stakeholders engaged in the field. Cabinet Spokesman Counselor Mohamed el-Homosani explained that the meeting featured a detailed presentation on the strategy's methodology, formulation process, and contributions by development partners from various ministries and concerned entities.
It also addressed the motivations behind drafting the strategy, which include shifts in global trade and supply chains, evolving international consumer trends, sustainability requirements, and the need for detailed action plans with clearly defined responsibilities, implementation partners, budgets, funding sources, performance indicators, and monitoring frameworks.
The strategy's vision is to position Egypt as one of the world's leading centers for the production and export of handicrafts, through building competitive and sustainable value chains anchored in the country's cultural richness and deep-rooted heritage. This vision is supported by the creation of a strong, organized ecosystem that ensures decent job opportunities, enhances the sector's economic and social impact, increases its presence in global markets, and builds advanced and resilient local supply chains.
Key targets of the strategy include increasing annual exports to $600 million by 2030, capturing 70% of the domestic market for handmade products, creating 120,000 new jobs while ensuring the sustainability of existing ones, increasing the share of formal businesses in the sector by 10% annually, and developing 15 natural craft clusters across Egypt.
The strategy comprises 32 action plans aimed at improving market access, enhancing craft cluster development, and strengthening the enabling environment for the sector in all dimensions. The meeting noted that the strategy's outcomes are expected to extend beyond the initial implementation phase, with long-term impacts projected between 2031 and 2035 in terms of increased total exports and reduced overall production costs.
Participants also reviewed the current state of Egypt's handicraft value chains, from raw material inputs, production, and processing to marketing, sales, logistics, finance, and data flows, identifying challenges and potential solutions at each stage. Additionally, international best practices for handicraft sector development were reviewed, highlighting success factors such as strong institutional leadership, adherence to long-term development strategies, robust marketing organizations, protection and promotion of craft clusters and their cultural identities, and a focus on innovation and design renewal.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Prime Minister Madbouli approved the strategy's implementation framework and requirements. He instructed the immediate commencement of the strategy and called for the swift formation of the proposed governance bodies, including the National Council for Egyptian Handicrafts. The council's board of trustees will include veteran artisans and heritage craft masters to ensure authenticity, continuity, and community engagement in advancing the sector forward.