On 06th July 2023, Achille BASSILEKIN III, Minister of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, granted an audience in his office to H.E. Rosalia ARTEAGA, former President of the Republic of Ecuador and godmother of the African Confederation of Interior Design. The delegation she led included the President of the African Confederation of Interior Designers (AFCID), Mrs Léonie BWEMBA, and representatives from other countries namely Ivory Coast, Morocco and Gabon.
The partnership in the making between the Ministry of SMEs and the African Confederation of Interior Design was at the heart of the discussions. It should be remembered that in March 2023, Mrs Léonie BWEMBA submitted a partnership request to the Minister of SMEs on behalf of AFCID. In addition to MINPMEESA, the Confederation also sought a partnership with the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. Minister Achille BASSILEKIN III welcomed the request, which is in line with the government’s commitment to promote Made in Cameroon, perpetuating ancestral heritage, connecting tradition with modernity and celebrating achievements. The Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts will therefore not hesitate to mobilise craftspeople and encourage them to join the Confederation so that they can benefit from the training courses offered, which are beneficial for the development of the Cameroonian handicrafts industry.
The African Confederation of Interior Designers aims at raising awareness on the interior design profession, cultivating inclusion, promoting “Made in Cameroon“, and creating two interior design training centres in the future. To this end, it is advocating for the implementation of laws and regulations on accessibility for people with reduced mobility in public buildings; the standardisation of laws and regulations on the interior design profession; compliance with universal standards in the issuance of building permits; the prior consultation of Interior Designers through the association for any construction projects; the reduction of furniture imports so that local crafts people can find their work in public buildings; the enhancing equality for all through inclusive design; and the change in status from Association to National Order of Interior Designers.
Interior design encompasses a number of professions in the nomenclature of handicraft trades, specifically in the arts and handicrafts sector, the art and decoration sector; in the production-oriented handicraft, the wood and related sectors, furniture and furnishings; and in the service-oriented handicraft, the finishing and other specialised work sector.