OUAGADOUGOU — The Ouagadougou International Crafts Fair (SIAO) and the Burkinabè National Tourism Office (ONTB) signed a partnership agreement on Tuesday aimed at promoting Burkina Faso’s cultural and craft heritage, with an eye towards enhancing economic and cultural benefits.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the Director General of SIAO, the memorandum of understanding is designed to create a cooperative framework between SIAO and ONTB to effectively promote both the crafts sector and tourism in the country. She emphasized that the agreement will integrate SIAO’s activities with those of ONTB, specifically targeting the enhancement of cultural heritage visibility. This announcement was made during a press conference in Ouagadougou, which also marked the formalization of a two-decade-long informal collaboration.

The strategic partnership is set to be showcased at the 17th edition of SIAO, scheduled from October 25 to November 3, 2024, under the theme “African crafts, youth entrepreneurship and empowerment.” The event will focus on empowering young entrepreneurs in the crafts sector.

Sulaiman Kagoné, the director general of ONTB, outlined that the partnership would also include efforts to strengthen tourist circuits and improve the infrastructure for hosting visitors, particularly during major cultural events. Kagoné highlighted the importance of enhancing accommodations and catering services to better serve the influx of festival-goers, thereby reinforcing Burkina Faso’s brand image as a cultural and tourist destination.