07.09.2025
At the 4th edition of the Salon des Métiers du Bois (SAMEB) trade fair, held from August 11 to 25 in Brazzaville, ATIBT Congo highlighted its commitment to structuring the domestic timber market through the ASP-MIB (Support for the Private Sector – Domestic Timber Market), funded by the European Union.
Officially launched in January 2025, the Private Sector Support – Domestic Timber Market (ASP-MIB) project aims to professionalize the domestic timber sector, which is still largely informal, by strengthening the capacities of artisans, SMEs, local communities, and women entrepreneurs.
SAMEB 2025 provided an ideal platform to present the project's initial results, engage with beneficiaries, and mobilize new partners.
An EU-Congo partnership for sustainable development.
With €2 million in funding from the European Union, the ASP-MIB project embodies an ambitious cooperation initiative to make Congolese timber a lever for inclusive growth. SAMEB helped to raise the profile of this dynamic by bringing together public, private, and community stakeholders around a common vision: consume Congolese products, process locally, preserve sustainably.
The ATIBT- Congo was invited by the MEF to take part in the opening ceremony of the 4th edition of the Salon des métiers du bois (SAMEB), organized jointly by the Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Crafts and the Ministry of Forest Economy in Brazzaville, at the craft village site opposite the Alphonse MASSAMBA DEBAT stadium.
The SAMEB agenda included four master classes, the first of which, on August 12, 2025, at 11 a.m., was a presentation on the theme “Overview of the use of forest species in the Republic of Congo” by Armand DIAMVINZA, expert and Technical Assistant for the Project at ATIBT. After the presentation, a few questions were asked about ATIBT, the MIB project, and the difficulties small artisans face in obtaining wood.
ATIBT Congo set up a stand in the craft village, run by Ms. Monique NGOMA, Administrative Assistant and Accountant, to ensure the visibility of the MIB Project. While the ATIBT stand was open, on August 18, 2025, Mr. Anaclet Collinet MAKOSSO, Prime Minister, accompanied by several members of the government, visited the stands at the exhibition. It is also important to note the visits to the ATIBT stand on August 21, 2025, by the European Union delegation composed of Ms. Severine DEMERRE, Mr. Régis YEMBE YEMBE, and two colleagues, followed by Mr. André SOUFLOT, APV FLEGT-CONGO Facilitator.
Concrete actions presented at SAMEB
ATIBT Congo led several activities at SAMEB directly related to the ASP-MIB project's priorities:
Towards a new era for the timber industry: ATIBT Congo's participation in SAMEB 2025 illustrates the desire to professionalize the sector, create sustainable jobs, and strengthen the country's economic sovereignty. The ASP-MIB project, in synergy with the objectives of the trade show, charts a promising path towards a more equitable, greener, and more competitive timber industry.
