Alj: “The CGEM fully mobilized to support Belgian business leaders to establish themselves in Morocco”

Hibapress
The president of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) affirmed, Tuesday in Casablanca, that the Employers are fully mobilized to support Belgian business leaders to establish themselves in Morocco.
Speaking during a Morocco-Belgium economic meeting, initiated as part of the holding of the 3rd session of the Morocco-Belgium Joint High Partnership Commission, Mr. Alj stressed that “economic cooperation between our two countries is based on solid fundamentals.”
“In addition to the political will and framework, there is a significant network of Belgian companies in Morocco in various strategic sectors,” he continued.
The president of the CGEM also recalled that Morocco-Belgium trade was worth 2.5 billion dirhams (billion dirhams) in 2023. “We would benefit from developing these exchanges, but we would also and above all benefit from further promoting investment. between Moroccan and Belgian companies,” recommended the president of the employers’ association. Furthermore, Mr. Alj noted that the convergence between Belgian technological expertise in renewable energies and Morocco’s experience in solar and wind power, could lead to interesting projects in production, storage and export of clean and affordable energy. This is a major challenge in a context of energy shock and at a time when the global economy is called upon to decarbonize, he noted, inviting Belgian companies to explore and fully benefit from the measures implemented. place as part of Morocco’s recently published green hydrogen offer.
For his part, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Ryad Mezzour, underlined the government’s commitment to strengthened cooperation with Belgium, emphasizing the need for the two countries to move forward together in the face of challenges. global crises
At the same time, Mr. Mezzour highlighted Morocco’s economic potential, which is distinguished by massive investments in infrastructure, economic openness and attractiveness for international investors.
He also praised the Kingdom’s assets, notably its potential in terms of energy security thanks to renewable energies.
In her speech, the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, focused on energy strategy, sustainable development and the expansion of sectors such as hydrogen and its derivatives.
She called for collaboration between Morocco and Belgium to create an energy and trade hub, emphasizing the importance of investments in connection infrastructure between the two markets from 2024.
Insisting on the imperative to accelerate investments in renewable energies, networks and waste recovery, Ms. Benali spoke of structuring projects such as the gas roadmap and the development of infrastructure in the southern provinces of Morocco.
Furthermore, the minister requested the commitment of the Moroccan and Belgian private sector, noting the possibility for companies to access mature, bankable and completely risk-free projects.
Ms. Benali insisted on the importance of investing in the energy transition, with an estimate of more than a billion euros per year, which offers investment potential for the Belgian and Moroccan private sector.
For his part, the Minister Delegate in charge of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies, Mohcine Jazouli, emphasized the various assets that Morocco has, in particular stability, continuity of policies public, in addition to a young population and world-class infrastructure.
He also mentioned the overhaul of the investment charter, which today constitutes a system allowing any investor to come to Morocco and be perfectly reassured about the framework in which they will invest.
This charter, explained the minister, is based on three main pillars linked to investment governance, the business plan and all the advantages that investors can have.
The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, the Moroccan Ambassador to Belgium, Mohamed Ameur, the Belgian Ambassador to Rabat, Véronique Petit, the President of the Committee took part in this meeting. Director of the FPS Foreign Affairs, Théodora Gentzis, the Director General of the Moroccan Agency for the Development of Investments and Exports (AMDIE), Ali Seddiki, as well as several members of the Moroccan and Belgian business communities.
Arriving Sunday evening in Rabat at the head of a large delegation made up of the Belgian Ministers of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Asylum and Migration, Mr. De Croo co-chaired with Mr. Akhannouch the 3rd meeting of the High Joint Morocco-Belgium Partnership Commission, marked in particular by the signing of two memorandums of understanding and a cooperation roadmap.