Visit of Equatorial Guinea’s National Council for Economic and Social Development to Rabat: New Horizons for an Exceptional Partnership
The President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), Abdelkader Amara, held talks on Monday with the President of the National Council for Economic and Social Development (CNDES) of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Marcelino Owono Edu, who is leading a high-level delegation on a working and friendship visit to Morocco from December 15 to 19.
This visit, which follows the audience granted by the Head of State of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, to Mr. Amara on October 13 in Mongomo, aims to strengthen bilateral relations between the two institutions and to contribute to promoting the momentum of African regional integration, the CESE said in a statement.
In this context, the two Councils sealed a framework for cooperation designed to strengthen institutional capacities, exchange best practices and consolidate the role and contribution of the assemblies of both institutions on major issues for their respective countries. These include economic diversification, youth employability, food security and the participation of economic and social councils in the agenda of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the statement added.
As part of the visit’s program, the delegation will have the opportunity to engage in discussions on Morocco’s successful experiences in economic and financial matters with several leading institutional and private sector partners.
These meetings will be held with the House of Councillors, Crédit Agricole du Maroc (CAM), the High Commission for Planning, the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Hightech Payment Systems (HPS), Attijariwafa bank, Bank of Africa (BOA), Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP), Bank Al-Maghrib, the Moroccan Capital Market Authority (AMMC), and the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG).
On this occasion, several key themes will be examined, notably agricultural financing and financial inclusion in rural areas, economic and social planning, monetary policy, as well as green and climate finance.
Speaking during an expanded meeting with members of both Councils, Mr. Amara, quoted in the statement, recalled the recent successful visit of Morocco’s CESE to Equatorial Guinea. He stressed that, beyond bilateral relations, the Council welcomes opportunities for cooperation with the CNDES within the framework of the Union of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions of Africa (UCESA), noting that the Equatorial Guinean Council’s application for membership was officially endorsed during the Executive Bureau meeting held in Bouznika.
He also pointed out that the joint organization of the fifth UCESA–China Economic and Social Councils roundtable in 2026 in Malabo will provide an opportunity to highlight the priorities of both countries within Sino-African cooperation programs.
For his part, Mr. Owono Edu underlined the quality of the exceptional and long-standing relations between the two countries, recalling the strategic role of the CESE of the Kingdom of Morocco within the community of economic and social councils.
Referring to the recent establishment of the CNDES in 2024, he expressed the wish to benefit from the CESE’s experience in priority areas for Equatorial Guinea, particularly economic diversification, the statement concluded.
Editorial team/le7tv
