El Foro de Inversiones destaca la buena relación entre Marruecos y Estados Unidos
The city of Dakhla, in the Western Sahara region, has hosted for several days the new Morocco-United States Investment Forum. The event was attended by more than twenty businessmen from the two nations specialising in different areas of the economy, in addition to the Council of the Rio de Oro region and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Kingdom. With the event now over, relations between the North American country and the Alawi country have become much closer than they already were.
Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade, highlighted the close relationship between the two territories, while affirming that economic and commercial cooperation is already underway. This nexus will allow the development of new direct US investments in the Kingdom, in more specific sectors that bring in the most money for the Maghreb national economy. These include agriculture, tourism, mining, mining and logistics, and even renewable energy.
These sectors have great economic potential for Morocco, and Mezzour affirms that, with the support of the United States, these economic fields will experience a significant boom.
The event also recalled the relevance that Morocco is taking on at the international level. The Kingdom is becoming one of the preferred destinations for investors, as the country offers unique and beneficial characteristics for companies and businesses. Its economic model is a liberal, diversified and open economy, so foreign investors see a perfect opportunity to open businesses. In addition, the Kingdom has a wealth of assets that make investments safe and profitable for entrepreneurs. It is worth noting that its political stability means that investments are not destabilised, and, in addition, it is cheaper than doing so in other countries.
It should also be noted that its geostrategic position is enviable. Morocco is at the gateway to the European and Maghreb Mediterranean countries, as well as the Middle East and the entire African continent. The United States has long been interested in expanding in Africa, and the Kingdom represents a profitable opportunity.
Khattat Yanja, President of the Council of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region, also welcomed the choice of his territory to host the forum. In his statement, he stressed the importance of creating projects in this area as a way of boosting the region and with the aim of making Dakhla a major economic centre and gateway to the African market.
In turn, Philip Blumberg, the US representative at this event, stressed the importance of Dakhla as a financial centre and announced that, with the presence of his country in the region, a large port will be built to make international connections, as well as to develop agriculture and industry in the area.
In recent years, relations between Morocco and the United States have grown stronger, especially after the US recognised the Kingdom's sovereignty over Western Sahara. During this time, different types of cooperation between the two territories have taken place that go beyond the economic sphere. "The two countries share common values and this encourages US investors to invest in Morocco as a hub for the whole of Africa," Blumberg said.
The Investment Forum was preceded by a B2B session, in which a delegation of twelve US companies visited Morocco to explore further business opportunities in the Alawi kingdom. The visit coincides with the programme developed by the US Executive and named "Trade Winds Middle East and Africa" which aims to open business in the MENA region. The conference ended with a strengthening and consolidation of ties, as well as the US reaffirming Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara.
"Morocco-US trade relations are the best springboard for such engagement, Morocco-US ties as a platform of excellence for business opportunities," said David Greene, US Ambassador to Rabat.
Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra
