Morocco’s southern provinces have emerged as a genuine catalyst for economic cooperation between Morocco and France,opening up new prospects for shared growth and African integration,economic stakeholders from both countries emphasized on Thursday in Dakhla.
This came during the Morocco-France Economic Forum,held on October 9,2025,in Dakhla,by the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) and the French Business Movement (MEDEF). The event brought together more than 300 business leaders,decision-makers,diplomats,and institutional representatives from both countries.
This major gathering,held in the “Pearl of the Moroccan South,” highlighted the vitality of the Moroccan–French economic partnership and the growing importance of the southern provinces as a new hub for Euro-African growth and cooperation.
All participants emphasized that holding this edition in Dakhla symbolizes clear recognition of the Moroccan Sahara’s strategic role in national and regional economic dynamics.
They underlined the region’s large-scale investments,its agricultural and energy potential,and its strategic positioning as a hub for African integration.
The French Ambassador to Morocco,Christophe Lecourtier,who took part in the Forum,reaffirmed that the French government encourages and supports French companies wishing to invest in Morocco’s southern provinces.
He highlighted the opportunities available in key sectors such as renewable energy,Euro-African electrical interconnections,and green hydrogen — areas in which French companies possess recognized expertise.
According to the diplomat,the “remarkable developments in the South of the Kingdom” reflect Morocco’s ambition to position itself among the leading regional industrial and energy powers,offering foreign investors unprecedented prospects.
The choice of Dakhla to host the forum,he added,is a concrete expression of France’s clear and unambiguous stance on the Moroccan identity of the Sahara.
The Dakhla Forum marks a turning point in Moroccan-French cooperation. Beyond political statements,it establishes an economic relationship built around concrete projects,a shared vision,and mutual recognition of strategic interests.
Dakhla thus stands out as a powerful symbol of Euro-African cooperation — a platform for sustainable investment and a bridge linking Morocco,France,and Africa.
In this context,the Vice-President of the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF),Fabrice Le Saché,stated that the presence of French business leaders in Dakhla reflects a clear desire for tangible economic cooperation based on dialogue,understanding,and mutual respect.
He highlighted the clarity of Morocco’s development model for its southern provinces,viewing it as a project that transcends national borders and serves as a gateway to sub-Saharan Africa.
For his part,the Vice-President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM),Mehdi Tazi,stressed the importance of this forum in showcasing the considerable assets of Morocco’s southern provinces,and the region’s immense potential.
He recalled that the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region holds major agricultural promise,adding that its natural conditions are ideal for the development of renewable energies,thanks to consistent sunshine and wind resources.
The Co-President of the Morocco-France Business Leaders Club,Mohamed El Kettani,emphasized the symbolic importance of holding the forum in Dakhla,noting that it underscores France’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces.
He also highlighted the presence of French investors already active in the region,citing the seawater desalination project jointly developed by Nareva and ENGIE.
For his part,the Club’s Co-President,Ross McInnes,stressed the integrated industrial dimension of the Franco-Moroccan partnership,built on a comprehensive approach to the value chain,from design and investment to procurement,manufacturing,and export.
He commended the high quality of Moroccan engineering training,which enables the country to develop advanced technological projects,noting that key sectors such as automotive,aerospace,and energy rely heavily on the skill and reliability of local subcontractors.
One of the forum’s highlights was a panel dedicated to the Royal Atlantic Initiative,presented as a key driver of African economic integration.
Participants in the panel highlighted the strategic role of the Royal Atlantic Initiative in strengthening African economic integration and developing the Kingdom’s Southern Provinces.
The panel,held under the theme “The Royal Atlantic Initiative: Strategic Vision and Development Opportunities,” shed light on the positioning of Morocco’s Southern Provinces as a key hub for regional economic development,African integration,and value creation at the continental level.
During the event,Olivier Vincent,Executive Director in charge of export activities at Bpifrance,praised the Royal Strategic Vision,describing it as “absolutely inspiring,” and stressed the importance of partnerships with Moroccan stakeholders to connect,finance,and promote business flows,with entrepreneurs at the heart of this dynamic.
For his part,Bertrand Walckenaer,Deputy Director General of the French Development Agency (AFD),underscored AFD’s longstanding commitment to Morocco—its leading country of operation—with over €3.2 billion in ongoing projects.
He highlighted cooperation with the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG) and alignment with Morocco’s new development model,structured around three pillars: human capital,infrastructure,and natural capital.
Walckenaer emphasized AFD’s contribution to vocational training,sustainable urban mobility,and natural resource management,noting their impact on shared economic development between Morocco and Sub-Saharan Africa.
At the end of the discussions,participants in the Morocco–France Economic Forum conducted a field visit to the Dakhla Atlantic Port construction site,where they took note of the progress of this large-scale project and its potential as a major driver of economic and logistical development in the Southern Provinces.
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