The Kingdom, with its status of advanced partner in the Euro-Mediterranean area and its openness to sub-Saharan African countries, is now set up as a hub, said the diplomat at a meeting organized by the French-Arab Chamber of Commerce under the theme "Morocco-France, a future of 'coopetition' to build".

This is not a new observation, said Benchâaboun, because the cooperation policies of the Kingdom, its partnerships with the European Union and Africa are spread over half a century and must be analyzed over time for a projection into the future.

According to the diplomat, who referred to the undeniable assets of Morocco, major reforms and structuring projects undertaken under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and its sectoral economic strategies, this projection however requires a necessary review and adaptation to the new geopolitical configurations that integrate challenges, namely security, the fight against climate change and migration control, among others.

He noted that these challenges, if met, will ensure a real development of Africa and Europe and give meaning to this future of "coopetition", carried by France and Morocco, two countries friends and allies who have developed a "unique and extraordinary" relationship called upon to be strengthened.

Speaking on this occasion, the President of the French-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Vincent Reina, stressed that this meeting, which took place in the presence of diplomats from several Arab countries as well as representatives of large companies and SMEs, industrialists, in addition to service companies, reflects the great interest that the Chamber has in the Kingdom.

Morocco has not ceased to impress for years by its progress, its reforms and its development plans, he explained, highlighting among others the exemplary management by the Moroccan authorities of the health crisis.

Reina also referred to the "ambitious and proactive strategic plans" put in place by the Kingdom in recent years in different areas (industry, infrastructure, renewable energy ...) in addition to the structural reforms made in particular the social field, recalling among others the New Development Model.

He, however, deplored a decline in trade between Morocco and France, which has been surpassed for years by other partners of the Kingdom, calling in this sense to inject a new dynamic to the economic relationship between the two countries.