The president of CEOE International, Marta Blanco, spoke at the Forum of Investments and International Cooperation Spain-Morocco, which began yesterday in Casablanca. In the event, organized by the Secretary of State for Trade, CEOE and the Chamber of Commerce of Spain, in collaboration with the Moroccan employers CGEM and the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Digital Economy of Morocco, analyzed the business and investment opportunities between both countries.
After the day of Monday, in which a seminar was held on how to do business in the country, yesterday began the Forum, inaugurated by the Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicrafts and Social Economy of Morocco, Mahammed Sajid; the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism of Spain in office, Reyes Maroto; the president of the Casablanca-Settat Region and Masen's CEO, Mustapha Bakkoury; and the ambassador of Spain in Morocco, Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner.
The president of CEOE International, Marta Blanco, spoke on the panel "Morocco and Spain: investment opportunities", together with the vice president of CEMAES, Hakim Marrakchi; the director of the Chamber of Commerce of Spain, Inmaculada Riera; the deputy general director of Casablanca Finace City, Lamia Merzouki; and the vice-president of the Antolín Group, Maria Helena Antolin. Subsequently, a second panel on "Financing investment in Morocco" took place, in which authorities of both governments and representatives of financial institutions participated. Tomorrow, day 3, bilateral meetings will be held between the companies of both countries, to promote cooperation in possible projects of common interest.
Investmentin Morocco
The president of CEOE International, Marta Blanco, said from Casablanca that Spanish companies value very favorably the macroeconomic policy followed by the successive Moroccan governments, as well as its opening policy, which make Morocco an accessible market and relatively open to the outside world. He also pointed out that in recent years there has been a gradual improvement in the business climate.
In this sense, he mentioned that the proximity to Spain also represents a very attractive factor for companies, since it favors the development of synergies between both countries and allows to obtain advantages in logistic terms. In addition, he said, Morocco has many infrastructures and quality, as well as good maritime and air connections, which make it an industrial platform and logistics of the first order. Blanco also emphasized the excellent location of Morocco, since it allows integration in global value chains on both sides of the Atlantic and constitutes a gateway to other markets on the African continent.
Marta Blanco explained that when it comes to internationalizing and expanding into new markets, one of the main concerns of companies is how to enter the new market and what supports they can count on. For this, it is essential to have market information as a starting point. In this regard, "from CEOE we developed specifically for Morocco a training program for the internationalization of Spanish companies in Morocco where it is formed on issues such as regulations, taxation or financing in the country," he reported.
Spain Brandto
Regarding the question about the brand Spain in Morocco, the president of CEOE International stressed that Spanish companies contribute in a very positive way to the image of Spain abroad. They contribute with their experience, their high technological level and their management capacity to the modernization of the economic and social infrastructures of Morocco, generating a positive impact. But beyond this tangible impact, the commitment to the progress of the country and the flight of short-term projects are also factors that affect that positive image.
That is why, among other reasons, "Spanish companies have a vocation for permanence in this country, and therefore we must work not only to be a partner and strategic ally, but also for Spain to become a benchmark in all possible areas "concluded Blanco.