Several experts from the economic and political world took part in the 5th International Conference of the Long-Term Investors Club which took place on 24 May in Rabat under the theme "Investment Strategies and Opportunities in Africa".

Organised by the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion of Morocco, the conference was structured around 4 round tables which debated the new actors and instruments of long-term financing, highlighted the challenges of infrastructure in Africa, sought support for African countries for the development of energy and supported the promotion of African SMEs and their financing challenges.

These debates, representing more than 15 African, European, American and Asian countries, highlighted investment opportunities in Africa, their stakes and challenges as well as the strategies envisaged. It emerged that African economies present serious assets in terms of investment due to the economic and political stability in many of these countries and the rising global demand for raw materials of which the African continent is one of the main suppliers. On the sidelines of this event, Dr Ulrich Schröder, Chairman of the Board of KfW, and Anass Houir Alami, Director General of the CDG, signed a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions. Thus, KfW and the CDG plan to continue their cooperation, particularly in terms of access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises in Morocco, in order to allow for increased growth and job creation.

In this context, the two institutions agreed to set up specific cooperation by providing a refinancing line of up to 200 million euros for loans to SMEs through the commercial banking sector as well as technical assistance (financed through funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)) for the improvement of the lending capacities of commercial banks to SMEs.