Saint-Étienne, France – April 18, 2025 — A high-level conference held Thursday evening in Saint-Étienne placed the spotlight on the vast investment opportunities emerging in Morocco’s southern provinces. Organized by the Consulate General of Morocco in Lyon in collaboration with the Loire Department, the event highlighted Morocco’s new development model and its concrete implementation in the southern regions.
The conference served as a platform to showcase ongoing structural reforms in governance, sustainable economy, and the territorialization of public policies. Special attention was given to Morocco’s regional integration strategies and its role as a key hub along new economic routes toward Africa.
During the event, the Laayoune Regional Investment Center (CRI) delivered a presentation outlining the operational mechanisms and real investment opportunities in the region. These included investor support systems such as the single-window service, fiscal incentives, and support services. The presentation emphasized the unique strengths of the Laayoune region—abundant natural resources, logistical infrastructure, renewable energy potential, and strong connectivity.
Foreign investment success stories in high-potential sectors such as agri-business, fisheries, energy, and logistics were also shared with the audience, highlighting the promising outlook for foreign investors.
In her opening remarks, Morocco’s Consul General in Lyon, Fatima Baroudi, reflected on the renewed momentum in Morocco-France relations in recent weeks. She recalled the flurry of visits by Moroccan and French officials, Morocco’s special recognition at the Agriculture Fair and Book Festival, and France’s reaffirmed support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara.
“These exchanges are helping strengthen our political dialogue, coordinate our actions on regional and international issues, and consolidate our economic cooperation—one of the key pillars of our relationship,” said Baroudi. “France is a major economic partner of Morocco, with whom we envision an even more prosperous future.”
She emphasized that the dinner-debate aimed to give Loire-based business leaders and entrepreneurs a foretaste of the growing opportunities in Morocco’s southern provinces. “By investing in these regions, you are contributing to their stability, development, and prosperity,” she affirmed.
In a statement to the Moroccan News Agency (MAP), Georges Ziegler, President of the Loire Department, hailed the event as a celebration of the strong territorial cooperation between France and Morocco. He praised the dynamic evolution of bilateral relations.
Dominique Shuffenecker, Secretary-General of the Loire Prefecture, welcomed the opportunity to learn more about Morocco’s investment advantages and to foster economic ties between the two territories.
Fabienne Perrin, Loire departmental councilor in charge of housing, expressed admiration for Morocco’s ongoing development momentum under the leadership of King Mohammed VI. She commended the modernization projects reshaping Morocco’s infrastructure “with talent and efficiency,” opening promising prospects for the country’s future.
Economist Tariq Essaid engaged with elected officials, business leaders, local authorities, and civil society actors by presenting Morocco’s legal and financial frameworks designed to attract investment, particularly the newly adopted Investment Charter.
He also highlighted the tangible potential for economic cooperation between Morocco and France, pointing to the strategic advantages of both nations and their shared commitment to advancing their exceptional bilateral partnership.
