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Agadir – Morocco’s craft sector has recorded the creation of 272 professional craft corporations nationwide as of May 21, with more corporations in the process of creation, Secretary of State for Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy Lahcen Saadi announced on Tuesday.
Speaking before the House of Councillors, Saadi said the initiative was developed in coordination with the Chambers of Crafts, implementing the Law No. 50.17 regulating the exercise of craft activities.
“We agreed on activating one of the fundamental pillars of Law 50.17: the establishment of craft professional bodies,” Saadi said, addressing councillors.
He explained that the reform responds to the structural complexity of a sector comprising 172 distinct crafts with varied characteristics and needs.
“This sector faces many challenges, as it includes 172 different crafts, each with its own specific characteristics, problems, aspirations, and vision for how it should operate. These 172 crafts cannot be effectively managed through clear programs and policies unless there is genuine organization within the sector and professional representatives for each craft.”
According to Saadi, the implementation process included nationwide consultations and field coordination across all regions. He noted that this initiative involved all 12 regions to establish professional craft bodies.
He further explained that since the launch of the reform, the government managed to establish approximately 272 craft bodies.
“Starting from zero professional bodies at the end of 2024, we have now succeeded in establishing approximately 272 craft bodies, including eight regional bodies, as of May 21. Today, the number is likely even higher, as new bodies continue to be created daily,” he stated.
He further noted that activity varies across sectors, with hairdressing and beauty leading among the newly structured guilds, with 38 organized bodies, followed by clothing, accessories, and textile products with 35 bodies, and then the repair of individual and collective transportation vehicles with 30 bodies.
Membership in these professional bodies is tied to registration in the National Register of Crafts (RNA), a mechanism aimed at formalizing the sector and extending social protection coverage to artisans.
“It should be noted that membership in these bodies is limited to traditional artisans registered in the National Register. This is intended to encourage registration so that artisans can benefit from social protection and so that issues related to social coverage, including health insurance and social security protection, can be addressed.”
