Morocco and Catalonia: Strengthening Economic Bonds through Innovation and Partnership
Top business figures and diplomats from Morocco and Catalonia gathered in Casablanca on June 4th to discuss advancing commercial cooperation at the Morocco-Spain Economic Meeting with a Focus on Catalonia. The forum, hosted by Morocco's General Confederation of Enterprises (CGEM), aimed to identify new partnership opportunities across strategic industries from automotive to tourism.
In his opening remarks, CGEM President Chakib Alj welcomed the Catalan delegation, led by Foment del Treball President Joseph Sanchez Llibre, renewing the "strong friendship and solid ties between Morocco, Spain and Catalonia." Alj thanked Llibre for the "excellent reception" of the recent CGEM mission to Barcelona, saying it had been "a success and paved the way for meaningful discussion."
Numerous industries were highlighted as areas of mutual interest. Alj noted Morocco's thriving automotive, aerospace, textile and pharmaceutical sectors. The country is now Africa's top car producer and aims to reach one million vehicles per year by 2025. Its aerospace cluster boasts 42% local integration and over 20% annual growth. As Africa's second largest drug maker, Morocco also eyes strengthening health security on the continent.
Agriculture and agri-food were also outlined as promising fields for Catalan investment, given Morocco's crops and Catalonia's technical expertise. The delegates concurred that tourism, renewable energy and technology cooperation could likewise be expanded through business collaboration on infrastructure, sustainability projects including green hydrogen, and positioning Morocco as a tech hub for Africa.
Alj emphasized Morocco's growing appeal for foreign investors due to economic resilience, political stability, strategic location bridging Africa and Europe via world-class ports, and an increasingly skilled workforce supported by incentives. For its part, Catalonia is a competitive force in Southern Europe with its entrepreneurial companies well-placed to capitalize on partnership opportunities across Morocco.
In closing, the CGEM President stated that "this forum is not just about discussing economic prospects, but taking concrete cooperative action." Both business associations are committed to providing enterprises the means to thrive together through innovation. The meeting concluded with both sides expressing optimism for fruitful outcomes from strengthened Morocco-Catalonia economic engagement.
