Rico Langheine takes over German development cooperation in Morocco

11:27

By: Azzat Manal

Rico Langheine takes over German development cooperation in Morocco

The German development agency GIZ has appointed Rico Langheine as its new country director in Morocco, succeeding Katrin Lorenz, who completed three years at the helm of the agency’s activities in the Kingdom.

The leadership change comes as Germany and Morocco continue to strengthen their development and economic cooperation through a broad bilateral partnership focused on several strategic areas, including sustainable development and the green transition.

During her tenure, Lorenz worked with the GIZ team on a range of priorities linked to Morocco’s development agenda. These included promoting inclusive economic development, supporting employment opportunities, accelerating the transition toward a greener economy and assisting initiatives arising from German-Moroccan cooperation.

GIZ is expected to maintain these priorities under its new leadership while seeking to further strengthen its partnerships with Moroccan institutions and other stakeholders. Langheine brings extensive experience in international development cooperation, which is expected to support the agency’s ongoing work in the country.

Before taking up his new position in Morocco, Langheine held senior responsibilities within GIZ in Cameroon. He served as both country director and resident director, gaining experience in managing development programs and coordinating with government institutions, local organizations and international partners.

His previous assignments are expected to help him oversee GIZ programs in Morocco and build on existing cooperation mechanisms between the two countries.

GIZ has maintained a presence in Morocco for decades, with its activities based in Rabat since 1999. The agency currently operates with a workforce of more than 228 locally employed staff members and 46 international employees.

The scale of its presence reflects the breadth of development programs implemented in Morocco. Key areas of cooperation include climate and environmental action, employment, sustainable economic development and support for the country’s broader green transition.

Langheine’s appointment therefore comes at a time when development cooperation between Morocco and Germany is increasingly focused on long-term economic resilience, environmental sustainability and the creation of new opportunities for employment and investment.