CEOE and Moroccan employers' association meet in Casablanca to boost cooperation in SMEs and key sectors

 

The visit, which underscores the strength of bilateral cooperation, seeks to boost investment and collaboration in high-potential, value-added sectors, with a special focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

 

Garamendi was accompanied by the vice president of CEOE, Íñigo Fernández de Mesa , and the president of the International Relations Commission, Marta Blanco , and was received by the president of CGEM, Chakib Alj , and other directors of the Moroccan confederation.

 

The working session focused on identifying key strategies to promote mutual investment, particularly among SMEs, in crucial areas such as tourism, automotive, education, pharmaceuticals, sustainability, and new technologies. The complementarity of the Spanish and Moroccan business sectors was highlighted, as well as the opportunity to use Spain as a gateway for Moroccan companies to Latin American markets and Morocco as a hub for the expansion of Spanish companies in Africa.

 

Strategic Alliances for the 2030 World Cup

 

A crucial point on the agenda was preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup , which will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. The presidents of the CGEM and CEOE emphasized the essential role of the private sector in ensuring that this global event becomes an engine of sustainable economic development.

 

In this context, the creation of a joint CGEM-CEOE-CIP Committee (with the participation of the Portuguese Business Confederation, CIP) was agreed upon to develop a trilateral roadmap. The objective is to exchange knowledge, build partnerships, and maximize the sustainable economic and social impact of the 2030 World Cup.

 

As the first action of this committee, the organization of a Morocco-Spain-Portugal Business Forum was announced for early 2026 in Rabat, which will bring together businesspeople from the three countries.

 

The visit, preceded by a meeting with the Moroccan Minister of Investment, Convergence, and Public Policy Evaluation, Karim Zidane, reaffirms the two countries' shared commitment to sustainable growth, regional integration, and shared prosperity in a rapidly changing global context.