The officials of the Rabat region are determined to make the capital an investment hub. This time, it is the Rabat CRI that is joining forces with the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Morocco. The idea is to act together to develop the regional economy as well as to involve French investors more in the dynamic that Rabat is experiencing. To do things by the book, the Rabat CRI and the CFCIM have just proceeded to the signing of a framework partnership and cooperation agreement. Through this convention, the two parties display their desire, for the next three years, to develop a fruitful collaboration for the encouragement of investment and employment as well as the economic and social development of the region. According to Hassan Amrani, Wali of the region, "by this agreement, we wish to demonstrate to all local actors that economic and social growth must be combined with public-private partnership". Same tune from Inane Benyaich, director of the Rabat CRI. "The CRI is committed to creating a new dynamic based on cooperation between institutional partners and economic operators, in particular the CFCIM, with a view to sensitising local operators to the important economic and university potential of the region as well as those resulting from the major structuring projects initiated". A true seduction operation with the members of the French delegation of the CFCIM. In his speech, the Wali of the region took care to highlight the various potentials of the region. In addition to the major projects launched in the region over the last few years (the development of the Bouregreg valley, Technopolis, and the Ain Johra industrial park), the Wali also emphasised the administrative, university, and historical vocation of the capital. The idea is to show the French that "Rabat constitutes an investment hub rich in profitable opportunities, thus offering, with the major structuring projects, opportunities for income-generating activities and jobs," indicated the Wali.

With figures to support it, Inane Benyaich also let the members of the CFCIM know that "investors have chosen to settle in Rabat for its numerous advantages, whether on the economic, cultural, and tourist levels as well as on the level of human resources, making possible the development of new productive sectors ranging from light industry, oriented towards consumer goods, to high-tech industry". Concretely, the stakeholders in the convention have set themselves the main objective of strengthening their cooperation links. For the director of the CRI, "this convention aims to consolidate the socio-economic development of the Rabat region through the implementation of various promotional actions for regional investment, the development of entrepreneurship, and the strengthening of public-private partnership". To concretise the content of this framework agreement, the signatories agreed on the implementation of a programme of actions revolving around 5 axes.

The first relates to training. On this point, "the CFCIM undertakes to seek the most competent speakers both at the national level and through its network in France with a view to satisfying the training needs of the professionals of the Wilaya of Rabat," we read in the convention. The second axis relates to business parks. On this chapter, the CFCIM also undertakes to provide its technical assistance for the development, promotion, and management of new economic activity parks. Also on the menu: the exchange of information, the development of the French and Moroccan economic presence in the region, as well as the implementation of actions for the benefit of the Moroccan diaspora of the Wilaya of Rabat in France. The objective is to facilitate their integration into the various initiatives aimed at economic and socio-cultural promotion.

During this ceremony, Hassan Amrani took the opportunity to announce that the Wilaya, the CRI, and the various local partners have launched a call to operators to promote projects in the housing, tourism, trade, and services sectors. To this is added the development of industrial land in the Ain Johra zone. Indeed, "a call for expressions of interest will be launched to allow other companies to settle there, especially since it is a question of competitive prices set on the basis of specifications," noted the Wali. The latter also invited the French Chamber to take part in the management of the Tamesna park and the future zones planned in Ain Aouda and Skhirat as well as the Rabat corniche development project. On this register, the Wali made it known that a call for expressions of interest has been launched to operators for the development of this corniche.

-* The Rabat CRI joins forces with the CFCIM.

-* A framework partnership agreement initialled for a duration of 3 years.

-* Objective: to further strengthen links for more investment.