One week before the opening of the 17th edition of the Ouagadougou International Crafts Fair (SIAO) 2024, the national organizing committee provided an update on preparations to the press on Thursday, October 17, 2024, in Ouagadougou.
The 17th edition of the Ouagadougou International Crafts Fair (SIAO) will be held from October 25 to November 3 in the Burkinabe capital on the theme
“African crafts, youth entrepreneurship and empowerment”. On day-D -7 of this biennial of African crafts, the National Organizing Committee (CNO) hosted a press conference to take stock of the preparations. It was in the morning of Thursday October 17, 2024, in Ouagadougou. According to the vice-president of the national organizing committee of SIAO 2024, Oumarou Barro, also secretary general of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Crafts, they have recorded to date the registration of more than one thirty buyers and professional visitors from 17 countries in Africa, Europe, America and Asia.
“As for exhibitors, we have registered more than 2,000 exhibitors spread across air-conditioned and ventilated pavilions. And more than 80% of the stands have already been reserved out of the 700 planned,” he said. These exhibitors come from 22 countries including Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Republic of Congo, India, Iran, Italy, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco , Mauritania, Guinea Conakry, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia and Burkina Faso. Also, Mr. Barro indicated that more than thirty national and international media are already registered out of the 50 planned for media coverage of the Fair, with 350,000 general public visitors expected at this biennial of African crafts. Furthermore, the vice-president of the NOC informed that several partners, advertisers and sponsors have associated their image and their brand with this SIAO 2024. “Regarding the security aspect, I can reassure you that all the arrangements are made by our valiant Defense and Security Forces for holding the Show in complete peace,” he said.
A space dedicated to the AES
On the occasion of this second meeting of the SIAO 2024 NOC with the press, Oumarou Barro recalled the innovations undertaken. These include the operationalization of the e-SIAO digital platform for reservations, payment and allocation of stands, tickets and badges online and the creation of a space called “AES Village” dedicated to invited countries. special countries, Mali and Niger. “For this edition, the sister Republics of Mali and Niger have been chosen to be the special guest countries with a view to highlighting the rich artisanal, tourist and cultural heritage of our community space that is the AES” the Alliance of Sahel States,” said Mr. Barro. Added to this are the realization of workshops for a better popularization of craft professions, the animation of play areas for children called “SIAO KIDS” through the introduction of creation workshops and discovery games. craft professions with the aim of encouraging vocations among young people, a popular cross country, partners’ night and also tourist excursions. What measures have been taken to avoid long queues at the entrance to SIAO 2024? Did the security situation in the country impact the organization of this edition? What is being done in terms of security for the fair to run smoothly?
A craze around SIAO 2024
To these concerns of journalists, the vice-president of the NOC reassured that everything is in place in terms of security to ensure the success of the 2024 edition.
“We have taken this concern head on and within the committee, we have a special commission dedicated to the security aspect. And everything is done so that everyone (exhibitors, buyers, general public, etc.) can go about their business without problem. And I can reassure you that there is no problem on this aspect,” he said. In terms of innovations, he indicated that in addition to the physical counter on the SIAO site for acquiring entry tickets, there is the e-SIAO platform on which one can also purchase them.
“Our partner Orange will set up ticket sales boxes throughout the city. Also, tickets will be sold in stores which we will communicate about soon,” added the general director of SIAO, Mariam Traoré. While ensuring that the committee did not encounter any difficulty that could affect the organization of the SIAO, Mr. Barro invited the public to purchase tickets in advance in order to avoid long waits. For her part, the president of the Chamber of Craft Trades, Germaine Compaoré, confided that at their level, there is real enthusiasm around the Show. She mentioned that there still remains a possibility for artisans at the national or international level to register to participate in this edition.
“We even registered new countries for their first participation in SIAO,” she said. And to add “this is an edition like no other and we have no doubt about our valiant, resilient people who have given proof in past editions that the reality is quite different from what we see or say about Burkina. elsewhere. The influx observed in 2023 reassures us that 2024 will be
even better,” Ms. Compaoré convinced herself.