Technical assistance to Chefchaouen is part of the project of Consolidation of MedCities’ Knowledge Transfer Centers, aimed to reinforce municipalities of the Maghreb and Mashreq regions in the sphere of urban development strategies and the implementation of strategic projects

The Urban Community of Chefchaouen as well as two local partners, the Fondation Ibn Rachid Association and the Agence Municipale de Développement Local de Chefchaouen (AMDC), have been deeply involved and have actively contributed to this project.

This technical assistance focused on the role of the handicraft sector as an actor for local and economic development. The methodology of the technical assistance was based in a participatory approach. This fact reinforces the commitment of local actors in the economic development of the city and the promotion of local handicraft and torusitic activities.

In detail, the assistance consisted of:

1. The establishment of an analysis concerning the handicraft activities of the city of Chefchaouen and the definition of a Master Plan for the promotion of the handicraft sector as a key economic activity for the local development of Chefchaouen. The document is available here.
2. The organization of a visit of study and exchange of experiences between Moroccan and Tunisian cities on organizative structures and innovation within the handicraft sector. This visit took place on september 10, 2015 in Tunis and the next day in Sousse with the participation of 5 Moroccan and 3 Tunisian cities. 
3. Launching a pilot project for the creation of a multi-actor steering platform in order to define, develop and follow-up an action plan for the economic promotion of the handicraft sector.

This consultation process started up from september 2015 until march 2016 and ended with the creation of the association « Union des Artisans » constituted on march 4, 2016.

During this process, almost 50 craftsmen have participated in specific training sessions on business management, trade promotion and digital tools available for this purpose.

Also, there were many synergy meetings so the participants could define the following topics:

• The overall picture of the association and operational rules
• Representation of professions and creation of professional committees within the association 
• General objectives of the association and action plan to be carried out.

Deepening the diagnosis of the handicraft sector, the Urban Community of Chefchaouen wished to reinforce the strategic vision of the Communal Development Plan in this sphere.