The Franco-Moroccan forum in Dreux highlights opportunities for cooperation and investment
- Pharmaceuticals and renewable energies
- Morocco: the central state of all Africa
- Morocco's Year in Dreux diversifies its events
With the aim of strengthening economic ties between the two countries, the ‘France-Morocco Economic Meetings: Successes and Opportunities’, held on 3 April in Dreux (in the Centre-Val de Loire region), highlighted the opportunities for cooperation and investment between the two nations in two strategic sectors: the pharmaceutical industry and renewable energies.
The ‘Doing Business’ event, which took place at the headquarters of the Moroccan company Intelcia in Dreux, was attended by a group of Moroccan and French experts and professionals and allowed the Moroccan and French institutions that play the role of facilitator and accompaniment in the processes of investment and economic development to be presented.
These meetings, which are part of the ‘Year of Morocco in Dreux’, an event that celebrates Franco-Moroccan relations through a varied programme that mixes culture, economy, crafts and sport, respond to a fundamental question: that of the current challenges shared by Moroccan and French companies, especially those related to health and energy sovereignty.
Pharmaceuticals and renewable energies
‘The France-Morocco economic meetings represent an opportunity to reflect on the possible solutions that both systems could bring to these problems,’ said the Kingdom's Consul General in Orleans, Rajae Benchaji, who underlined the importance of opening up prospects for cooperation and complementarity between the industries of the two countries.
Morocco's great potential in the field of renewable energy places it among the leaders in the sector at an international level. The pharmaceutical sector is no less relevant in the cooperation and collaboration between France and Morocco, and constitutes a key sector in the partnership between the two countries.
Benchaji recalled the royal vision of Mohammed VI, who attaches special importance to the Moroccan diaspora, placing it at the heart of the Kingdom's economic development. The diplomat added that this event reflects an opportunity to discover the mechanisms and services established to accompany and facilitate the involvement and participation of Moroccans living abroad in this growth dynamic.
For his part, the mayor of Dreux, Pierre-Frédéric Billet, said that his city ‘pays tribute this year to Morocco in its best aspects: art, crafts, gastronomy and the economy. This is the objective of the Franco-Moroccan forum dedicated especially to the pharmaceutical industry, a sector in which there are already strong links and which will continue to develop’.
Morocco: the central state of all Africa
Pierre-Frédéric Billet argued that Morocco is becoming the central state of all Africa, with maritime access, political stability and significant investment, adding that ‘the administrative and fiscal conditions and the seriousness of the Kingdom push us to confirm that investing in Morocco in the coming years is the right option’.
For his part, Yassine Bouajaja, representative of the Moroccan Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry and Innovation (FMIIP), pointed out that ‘this event has allowed us to highlight the progress made by the Moroccan pharmaceutical industry, especially in terms of health sovereignty, the strength of our industrialists and the know-how that has been developed over the last fifty years’.
Bouajaja added that Morocco is now able to produce more than 75% of its pharmaceutical needs locally. Furthermore, the country has become ‘a key player’ thanks to its pharmaceutical expertise, but also to its geographical position, which allows it to act as an export platform to countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Ali Mehrez, representative of the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE), emphasised the importance of boosting private investment, which is at the heart of Morocco's economic strategy, and highlighted the relevance of the new Investment Charter, which offers investors a unique opportunity and a reliable business environment.
Karim Bernoussi, CEO and co-founder of Intelcia Group, emphasised the importance of promoting investment between Morocco and France: ‘The opening up of markets favours cooperation and partnership and development can only be co-development’.
Morocco's Year in Dreux diversifies its events
Launched last January, as part of a New Year's meeting between the Moroccan ambassador to France, Samira Sitail, and the mayor of Dreux, the ‘Year of Morocco’ initiative, which was inaugurated with these Morocco-France economic meetings, aims to highlight the human wealth of the two countries in a city that is a symbol of Franco-Moroccan friendship.
The forum is just the first step towards a programme of economic, sporting and cultural events and exhibitions to be held over the next nine months in the French city.
One of the events scheduled will be the organisation of a Moroccan Fair at the Dreux fairgrounds (21-25 May) where handicrafts, real estate offers, local products and purely Moroccan entertainment will be highlighted. The fair will focus on the southern provinces of the Kingdom and the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region as promising regions in terms of investment.
Another event will be the conference ‘Five centuries of history between France and Morocco’, scheduled for 19 June, in the form of a documentary on Moroccan immigration. In addition, there will be photography exhibitions, intergenerational exchanges, documentary screenings and the Saint-Denis Fair with Moroccan colours and flavours, among other events.