Placed under the high patronage of King Mohammed VI, this meeting was organized by the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) in collaboration with the Alliance of French-speaking Employers (APF).
This edition marked a major turning point for Morocco, the organizing country, by offering an exceptional platform for exchanges and collaboration between business leaders and institutions in the French-speaking world. The REF aims to boost trade, encourage investments, and strengthen economic ties between French-speaking countries.
The Minister Delegate in charge of Investment, Mohcine Jazouli, underlined the importance of this event as a common horizon for the opening of new prospects for development, prosperity and solidarity in the French-speaking area. He highlighted the crucial role of the economic Francophonie as a lever for growth in a changing world, emphasizing the need to optimize logistics corridors, invest in skills and seize the opportunities offered by the ecological transition. .
In 2023, Moroccan companies have invested nearly 2 billion euros in French-speaking countries, representing three-quarters of Moroccan direct investments abroad. Morocco also stands out as the first African investor in West Africa and the second on the entire African continent. These figures demonstrate Morocco’s commitment to strengthening its economic presence in the French-speaking area and actively contributing to its development.
Chakib Alj, president of the CGEM, insisted on the importance of policies to diversify production and accelerate industrialization to increase trade between French-speaking African countries. He also spoke of the need to build sustainable and innovative industrial ecosystems, putting SMEs at the center of this dynamic, which will make it possible to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and its vast 1.2 billion consumers.
For his part, Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux, president of the APF, recalled that the Alliance aims to concretely strengthen the links between businesses and French-speaking economies. The Alliance has expanded its ranks with the accession of eight new members, highlighting the need for increased cooperation between States, and the private sector and the promotion of innovation for sustainable and prosperous development.
Louise Mushikiwabo, secretary general of the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF), for her part, underlined the role of the OIF as a guide and catalyst for the French-speaking space, by supporting the economy, innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and the circular economy.
Participants took part in various round tables focused on the promotion of the French-speaking space and ways to strengthen commercial exchanges between its members. Topics covered included the competitiveness of SMEs, trade promotion, free movement of goods and services, logistics and connectivity challenges, as well as responses to digital developments and artificial intelligence.
The 4th edition of the Meeting of Francophone Entrepreneurs in Marrakech was a resounding success, offering Morocco a unique opportunity to consolidate its position as an economic leader in the Francophone space and promote a future of growth and cooperation for all its members. Stressing that the next edition of the REF will be held next year in the Republic of Congo.
