Mauritanian craftsmanship is a fundamental pillar of our cultural and economic heritage. For centuries, Mauritanian artisans have passed down unique skills, whether in leatherwork, metalwork, woodwork, textiles or pottery. These crafts reflect the ingenuity, creativity and cultural identity of the country, while playing a major economic role, contributing to the livelihoods of communities and the vitality of local markets.

In this context, the Mauritanian government, through the Ministry of Vocational Training, Crafts and Professions, established the General Directorate of Handicrafts and Professions to preserve and promote the artisanal heritage and to develop the social and solidarity economy. It coordinates interventions in these sectors, proposes the accreditation of socio-professional organisations, issues professional craftsman’s cards, organises and supervises the sector’s activities, monitors the quality of production, researches and exploits export opportunities for national craft products, ensures the preservation of the craft heritage and produces statistics on these sectors.