NIGER WILL HOST FROM NOVEMBER 29 TO DECEMBER 8, 2019 IN NIAMEY THE 11TH EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S CRAFTS SHOW (SAFEM) UNDER THE THEME: quotCRAFTS AND WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP: INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTquot .

The official launch of the activities within the framework of the 11th edition of the International Crafts Fair for Women (SAFEM) took place on Thursday, October 10, 2019 at the Radisson Blu hotel in Niamey. It was the First Lady of Niger who sponsored the activity. This 11th edition scheduled from November 29 to December 8, 2019 at the Palais du 29 Juillet in Niamey, is placed under the theme: quotcrafts and women's entrepreneurship: innovative solutions for employment and sustainable developmentquot. This 11th edition of the International Crafts Fair for Women (SAFEM) will mobilize 1,800 exhibitors, 150,000 visitors and participation from 35 countries. This launch marks the starting point for the organization of the 11th edition. The true development of a country cannot be envisaged without the full and complete participation of women in all sectors of economic life. SAFEM is now one of the most important tools for integration and empowerment, enabling women to improve their living conditions, to contribute significantly to the fight against poverty and to the economic development of the country. The results of the 10th edition of SAFEM which was held from November 24 to December 3, 2017 at the Palais du 29 Juillet in Niamey were highly edifying. This 11th edition aims to mobilize one thousand eight hundred (1,800) exhibitors, thirty-five (35) countries, one hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) visitors and to achieve a turnover of more than one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000) CFA Francs. The National Agency for the organization of SAFEM has set itself the task of contributing to the strengthening of the empowerment of Nigerien women artisans and to provide Niger with a lasting and professional international framework for the promotion of African crafts, in putting in place the necessary means for the marketing of handicrafts following a strategy of both Nigerien and African identity. The objective is to meet the dual challenge of empowering women in general and artisans in particular. The international scope of SAFEM has led the Agency in charge of organizing SAFEM to have new visions and great ambitions that go beyond regional and international borders. It is in this sense that an opportunity has already been offered, since 2015, to other countries to come and promote their potential in terms of crafts and culture within the framework of an exchange of good practices. After the Kingdom of Morocco in 2015 and the Republic of Tunisia in 2017, Senegal has been chosen as guest of honor for this 11th edition of SAFEM. Still talking about innovations, SAFEM now has its own dynamic website. The organization of SAFEM is an appropriate response to the problem of outlets for products from the handicraft sector, anything that can contribute to the fight against poverty in Niger. The Government fully appreciates the contribution of the handicraft sector to the economic development of the country and reaffirms its will and its commitment to promote it to support the promotion of the handicraft sector.