 The 2nd edition of the economic forum "Africa Business Days" started, Monday in Dakhla, with the aim of developing investment and trade between African countries and accelerate regional economic integration.
Initiated by the Regional Council of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, in partnership with the African Chamber of Commerce and Services (CACS) and the Regional Investment Center (CRI), this forum which welcomes the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as guest of honor, aims to create a dynamic meeting space and rich in content between Moroccan, African and foreign economic operators and to prevail the commercial pragmatism, economic integration and co-development in the South-South cooperation
This two-day event (February 13-14), in which take part more than 60 economic operators, as well as various European and African Chambers of Commerce and Services is also a real crossroads, where the experiences of regions and economic operators interact for a co-development and innovative investment synergies.
In a speech, the wali of the region of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, governor of the province of Oued Eddahab, Lamine Benomar noted that this forum is an opportunity to serve the objectives of development and economic openness of Morocco to sub-Saharan countries, as well as an opportunity for rapprochement with its African partners.
It is also an opportunity to present to partners the potential and investment opportunities offered by the region in several economic areas, he added.
The choice of the city of Dakhla to host this economic forum is in line with the guidelines of public policies to establish Dakhla as a platform for economic cooperation between Morocco and its African depth, he noted.
For his part, the President of the Regional Council, El Khattat Yanja said that the organization of this event denotes the particular interest of the region Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, in particular, and Morocco in general, to an integrated economic inclusive and sustainable development.
In a global context characterized by increased regionalization of economies and intensified competition on the commercial and financial, strengthening partnerships between countries or regions, has become an unavoidable necessity, said Mr. Yanja, noting that the region of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab "ambition of economic relations liberating energy, homogeneous and inclusive with African countries.
Mr. El Khattat also stressed that the vision of socio-economic development, in the long term, the region of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab is anchored in its advantageous geographical position, as a commercial and logistical hub for North and West Africa and entry point for regional and continental investments.
For his part,CACS president, Abdelmonaim Faouzi said that Dakhla has become an economic hub by road, air and sea, offering opportunities for economic actors of the continent to settle and international economic operators investment facilities.
In a context of post-Covid economic recovery, increased globalization and the launch of the African Free Trade Area (AFTA), the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region is poised to become a promising economic hub open to Africa, he continued.
In a speech read on his behalf, the president of the Tonkpi region in Côte d'Ivoire, Abdallah Albert Toikeusse Mabri, has welcomed this initiative which is likely to strengthen partnership relations, especially since it is an opportunity for European and African economic operators to discuss various projects.
He also expressed his willingness to further strengthen bilateral relations between the region of Tonkpi and that of Dakhla- Oued Eddahab, stressing that a framework agreement will be signed soon between the two territorial entities.
On this occasion, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the region of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Vaucluse (France) and the CACS for the establishment of a hotel training center in Dakhla, with a capacity to accommodate 250 beneficiaries.
The program of this forum includes several panels focused on "business opportunities in the region Dakhla-Oued-Eddahab and support mechanisms", "North-South partnerships and feedback" and "Synergies and partnerships in the ECOWAS zone".
In addition to the panels, Business to Business (BtoB) and Business to Government (BtoG) meetings will be organized, to allow the many participants to identify and enhance their synergies in the region and the ECOWAS zone.
-News on Western Sahara/Corcas
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