The story
SIAO Ouagadougou in Ouagadougou
SIAO is Africa's major biennial crafts and artisanat trade fair in Ouagadougou, running since 1988, where craftspeople from across the continent sell and exhibit textiles, leatherwork, woodwork, and jewelry through organized national pavilions aimed at both trade buyers and general visitors. Editions rotate an honorary guest-country spotlight and include matchmaking sessions connecting artisans directly with international buyers.
Africa's largest crafts trade show traces its roots to a 1984 government-organized handicraft exhibition in Ouagadougou called 'Artisanat 84,' before the Salon International de l'Artisanat de Ouagadougou held its first standalone edition in 1988.