Cameroon: Côte d’Ivoire Named Guest of Honor at SIARC 2026

Cameroon will spotlight Côte d’Ivoire at the 9th edition of the Salon International de l’Artisanat du Cameroun (SIARC), scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 7, 2026, in Yaoundé.

The announcement was made following a meeting between Achille Bassilekin III, Cameroon’s Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, and Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister in charge of handicrafts, on March 26 in Yaoundé. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Speaking after the meeting, the Ivorian minister confirmed the country’s participation as guest of honor, highlighting ongoing discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the handicraft sector.

Held every two years, SIARC is a major platform dedicated to promoting and marketing handicraft products. It provides artisans and industry stakeholders with opportunities to showcase their expertise, access new markets, generate income, and establish business partnerships at both national and international levels.

The 2024 edition, also hosted in Yaoundé, attracted more than 15,000 visitors. For 2026, the event will focus on the theme: “Between Tradition and Modernity: How to Stimulate Craft Innovation?”

By selecting Côte d’Ivoire as guest of honor, Cameroonian authorities aim to give the event a stronger regional dimension. The move is expected to enhance exchanges between artisans from both countries while opening up new opportunities for trade, collaboration, and the circulation of know-how in a sector with significant untapped potential.