Nevine Gamea — CEO of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency — confirmed that there is full keenness on the part of the agency to enhance aspects of economic and commercial integration with Arab countries, exchange experiences to support the small projects sector in general, and work to promote the handicraft and heritage sector in particular. Gamea explained that a number of owners of heritage projects who are clients of the agency are participating in the activities of the 23rd edition of the International Salon of Handicrafts (SIAT 2022) that's being held in Algeria from 24 November to 2 December in continuation of the agency's efforts to involve the owners of these projects in various local and regional exhibitions to help them market their products. She emphasised that the agency is coordinating with regional partners and the concerned authorities in brotherly countries to provide various aspects of financial and technical support for handicraft and heritage projects and to help their owners to develop their products due to their importance in providing extensive, decent, and stable job opportunities for youths and women, and because they express the ancient Egyptian identity and culture. Gamea indicated that the state's interest and directives in sponsoring and supporting this sector come from its ability to provide abundant job opportunities, especially in other governorates and Upper Egypt, and because heritage products constitute a huge financial resource for many countries of the world, and this type of product has high marketing potential in Egypt and is required globally. The agency's participation in this exhibition comes in implementation of what was agreed upon between Gamea and Yassin Hammadi — Algeria's Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts — which is to enhance coordination and cooperation between the two sides and exchange experiences, especially with regard to supporting handicrafts and heritage and increasing their competitive capabilities, supporting owners of heritage projects in Egypt and Algeria, and providing opportunities for their participation in major exhibitions held in the two brotherly countries. The SIAT is considered one of the largest international exhibitions in this field and annually witnesses the participation of many Arab, African, and European countries, which gives the participants the opportunity to learn about the cultures and products of the participating countries and to conclude mutual and complementary deals. For their part, the Algerian Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts and the Algerian Minister of Culture praised the quality of the products of the MSMEDA's youths, who are participating in the exhibition with various and distinct handicraft products, including tents, carpets, copper, home accessories, shell products, leather products, and silk painting.
