Led by Abdellatif Maâzouz, President of the Casablanca-Settat region, the Moroccan delegation included representatives from the Casablanca-Settat Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIS-CS), as well as Moroccan business leaders.
The meeting, attended by Morocco’s Consul General in Miami, Chafika El Habti, reviewed the efforts made by the CCIS-CS to support the internationalization of Moroccan brands and boost exports of Moroccan-made products.
Speaking on this occasion, Mohamed Elfane, President of the Investment Commission at the CCIS-CS, reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to fostering an environment conducive to innovation and excellence in trade between Morocco and the United States. He highlighted Moroccan products ready for export to the U.S. market, particularly in the agri-food sector.
Emphasizing Morocco’s position as a strategic gateway to African markets, Mr. Elfane invited the leadership of the World Trade Center Miami and the Miami-Dade County International Trade Consortium to explore cooperation opportunities with the CCIS-CS to build strong business ties and strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries.
For his part, Gerard Philippeaux, Executive Director of the Miami-Dade County International Trade Consortium, described the partnership between Casablanca-Settat and Miami-Dade as “natural,” noting that the direct air link between the two regions, operated by Royal Air Maroc, provides an “extraordinary advantage” for trade.
“We expect to see more trade exchanges in the future, mainly through maritime routes but also via air transport,” said Philippeaux, the county’s main liaison with foreign governments. He underlined Morocco’s modern logistical infrastructure, including the Tanger Med port complex, “the largest port in Africa and a major player in global maritime transport.”
“In Miami, we are very interested in Moroccan agri-food products, especially those that represent the signature of Moroccan cuisine,” he added.
For his part, Ivan Barrios, CEO of the World Trade Center Miami, explained that the WTCM is a leading global trade organization with over 300 centers in more than 90 countries. It facilitates international trade in Miami-Dade County, the most populous in southeastern United States with 2.7 million residents, through major trade fairs, business events, and educational programs promoting bilateral commerce.
Barrios invited Moroccan companies to participate in WTCM events, particularly the next edition of the Americas Food and Beverage Show, scheduled for September 2026.
Earlier in the day, the Moroccan delegation, which also included representatives from the Casablanca-Settat Regional Investment Center and the Regional Directorate of Tourism, was received by Fermin Vazquez, President of the Miami Dade College Campus.
During this meeting, Mr. Maâzouz highlighted the “enormous” cooperation opportunities between the Moroccan region and Miami-Dade County in fields such as tourism, trade, industry, and investment.
For his part, President Vazquez praised Morocco’s determination to expand its economic and trade exchanges with Miami, noting that Miami-Dade serves as a key hub for trade with Central and South America, Africa, and Europe.
The meeting concluded with a discussion led by Ms. El Habti and Mr. Maâzouz with Miami Dade College students, focusing on Morocco’s economic strengths and the investment opportunities available in the Kingdom.
Editorial team/le7tv