Saint-Étienne – Investment opportunities in the Kingdom’s southern provinces were the focus of a conference held Thursday evening in Saint-Étienne.
Organized by the Consulate General of Morocco in Lyon in partnership with the Loire department, this conference provided an opportunity to highlight the new development model and its implementation in the southern provinces. It also presented ongoing structural reforms in governance, sustainable economics, and the territorialization of public policies, with a focus on regional integration dynamics and new economic routes to Africa, where Morocco is positioning itself as a hub.
During this conference, the Laayoune Regional Investment Center (CRI) presented a paper on operational mechanisms and concrete investment opportunities in the region, including investor support mechanisms (one-stop shop, tax incentives, support services), with a focus on the Laayoune region’s specific strengths in terms of natural resources, logistics infrastructure, renewable energy, and connectivity.
The conference also provided an opportunity to showcase successful models of foreign investment projects in high-potential sectors (agribusiness, fisheries, energy, and logistics).
Speaking at the opening of this conference, the Moroccan Consul General in Lyon, Fatima Baroudi, recalled the important milestones in France-Morocco relations in recent weeks, including the intense exchange of visits between Moroccan and French officials, the Kingdom’s spotlight at agricultural fairs and the book festival, and, above all, France’s announcement of its support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara, all of which contribute to the virtuous dynamics of bilateral ties.
“All these meetings allow us to strengthen our political dialogue, coordinate our actions on regional and international issues, and consolidate our economic cooperation, which constitutes one of the pillars of our relationship,” Ms. Baroudi affirmed.
France, she added, “is a major economic partner of Morocco, with whom we envision an even more prosperous future.”
With this in mind, “this evening, through this dinner debate, we hope to give a taste to businessmen and entrepreneurs in this beautiful Loire region of the importance of increased investment in the southern provinces of Morocco,” said the Consul General.
“By investing there, you contribute to strengthening the stability, development, and prosperity of these provinces so dear to our hearts,” she added.
In a statement to MAP, the President of the Loire Department, George Ziegler, emphasized that this meeting celebrates the excellent territorial cooperation with Morocco, welcoming the dynamic relations between the two countries.
For his part, the Secretary General of the Loire Prefecture, Dominique Shuffenecker, welcomed the opportunity this meeting provides to better understand the investment opportunities in Morocco and develop economic relations within the framework of cooperation between the two territories.
Fabienne Perrin, Departmental Councilor in charge of housing in Saint-Etienne, expressed, for her part, her admiration for the momentum of development the Kingdom is experiencing under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and the prospects opened by the enormous projects of modernization of infrastructure carried out “with great talent and efficiency” for the future of the country
In interaction with an audience of elected officials, business leaders, departmental officials, and civil society actors, economist Tariq Essaid presented the legal and financial mechanisms developed by the Kingdom for investors, including the investment charter.
He also highlighted the concrete prospects for economic cooperation between Morocco and France, given the strengths of both countries and their desire, expressed at the highest levels, to move forward in their strengthened exceptional partnership.
