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Business leaders from Morocco and France convened in Dakhla for a high-level forum focused on boosting economic development in Morocco’s southern provinces. The event marked a turning point in Franco-Moroccan relations, reinforcing bilateral ties beyond trade toward long-term strategic collaboration.
Morocco’s Investment Minister Karim Zidane emphasized the strength of the relationship, noting France remains the country’s second-largest trading partner and top investor, contributing nearly a third of Morocco’s FDI in 2024. Morocco, in turn, is the leading African investor in France.
The forum spotlighted Dakhla’s vast potential in renewable energy, agriculture, and sustainable tourism. Mehdi Tazi of CGEM highlighted the region’s abundance of sun, wind, and land as ideal for green energy development, while pointing to long-standing agricultural success even in arid conditions.
The €7 billion investment plan in southern infrastructure—particularly the Port of Dakhla Atlantique and the Agadir-Dakhla expressway—was presented as transformational. These projects aim to connect Morocco to landlocked African markets and reinforce energy and logistics networks, including a proposed electric highway and the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline.
French business leaders, including MEDEF Vice President Fabrice Le Saché, stressed the importance of human connection and long-term value creation. He emphasized that French companies are not just investing but co-developing in sectors like agriculture, energy, and industrial production.
French firms like Safran now conduct R&D and manufacturing in Morocco, reflecting a shift from transactional trade to collaborative innovation. The Almando project, a joint renewable and agriculture venture with Engie, exemplifies this evolving model.
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French Ambassador Christophe Lecourtier reaffirmed France’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, calling the forum a “milestone” in bilateral ties. Ambassador Samira Sitaïl described Dakhla as a “laboratory of the future” for Europe-Africa cooperation.
The forum concluded with a call for private sector engagement in energy, infrastructure, and sustainable development, signaling a shared vision of prosperity and partnership between the two nations.
