French Investments in Moroccan Sahara Region to Continue \ Newslooks \ Washington. \. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that French public investments in Morocco, including the Sahara region, will persist. Addressing business leaders, Macron emphasized Morocco’s vital role in French economic strategy, advocating for enhanced collaboration amidst European regulatory challenges.
During a recent state visit to Morocco, French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his commitment to ongoing French investments in Morocco, with a particular focus on the Sahara region. Speaking in Rabat at the Morocco-France Entrepreneurial Meeting’s conclusion, Macron highlighted Morocco’s strong relationship with the French Development Agency (AFD), acknowledging it as France’s largest client in terms of AFD investments. Macron reassured Moroccan business leaders and economic stakeholders that France remains dedicated to supporting Morocco’s growth through continued financial support, including projects spearheaded by French companies within the Sahara.
Macron expressed France’s intention to sustain a fair and advantageous economic relationship with Morocco, emphasizing the significant interconnection between their economies. He pointed to the extensive collaboration already taking place across multiple industries and encouraged further integration along value chains to adapt to evolving trade dynamics, particularly the re-regionalization of tariffs that has emerged in recent years. Macron’s vision involves a reinforced French-Moroccan economic partnership that can withstand the demands of changing global trade rules and benefit both nations.
The French President also criticized certain European and French regulatory standards that limit financial groups from engaging effectively in Africa. He described the restrictions as “a terrible strategic mistake” and urged European policymakers to reconsider these limitations, which he argues force financial groups to withdraw from African markets. According to Macron, these self-imposed European standards could have far-reaching, detrimental effects on Europe’s long-term strategic interests on the continent.
The Morocco-France Entrepreneurial Meeting was co-hosted by the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) and the French Business Movement (MEDEF) through the France-Morocco Business Leaders Club. Macron’s presence at the event aligns with the broader goals of his state visit, an invitation extended by King Mohammed VI as a testament to the close ties between Morocco and France.
Following the meeting, Macron and his spouse, Brigitte Macron, were honored at an official royal dinner hosted by King Mohammed VI at the Royal Palace in Rabat. The ceremony, which featured Morocco’s royal family and high-ranking officials, underscored the ceremonial and diplomatic weight of Macron’s visit to Morocco. This gathering highlighted the shared diplomatic and economic interests that reinforce Morocco and France’s longstanding partnership.
