DAMASCUS, (ST) – Prime Minister Dr. Wa’el al –Halaqi underlined the importance of preserving the local, heritage and traditional industries and reviving the crafts of all kinds for being a rooted and national product and expresses the inherent culture and originality of the Syrian people.
During a meeting at the Council of the General Union of Craftsmen, Dr. al –Halaqi clarified the need to communicate directly with the artisans and handicrafts to overcome obstacles that hinder their work because they are true builders to the home. He pointed to the efforts of the Federation of Artisans in the contribution to the development of the homeland.
Dr. al –Halaqi gave a presentation on the economic, social reality and the efforts being exerted by the government to offer various services to citizens.
He pointed to the importance of the General Union of Craftsmen at the current stage in the assessment of reality, overcome the obstacles, and achieve future promising policies at all levels that lead to the creation of a robust foundation for the construction phase.
For his part, Minister of Industry Eng. Kamal Tomah noted that the government has paid the greatest attention to artisans because the crafts’ enterprises constitute an important part of supporting the national economy and contribute to a rate of not less than 30 percent.
“The Union of Craftsmen is within the national economic fabric and contributes to providing employment for about 235.000 citizens and takes care of 98.000 licensed craft facilities,” eng. Tomah explained.
Chairperson of the General Federation of Crafts, Yassin Hassan, confirmed the need to work to resolve many of the difficulties and problems that hinder the work of artisans and ensure their needs.
Sharif al -Khatib