The signing ceremony, chaired by the French Ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, and held in the presence of representatives of Moroccan and French authorities, members of the French institutional network in Morocco, and CFCIM board members, forms part of efforts to reinforce the bilateral partnership in support of businesses, particularly SMEs and mid-sized companies.
The first agreement, signed by Mr. Lecourtier and Sébastien Le Bonté, President of the CFCIM, concerns the new lease for premises owned by the French Treasury that house the CFCIM’s historic headquarters in Casablanca.
Concluded for a nine-year term, the agreement reflects a renewed long-term commitment and firmly anchors the Chamber in its institutional and operational role within the French framework in Morocco.
Two additional agreements were then signed between the CFCIM and, respectively, the Consulate General of France in Casablanca, represented by Aymeric Chuzeville, Consul General of France in Casablanca, and the Consulate General of France in Rabat, represented by Olivier Ramadour, Consul General of France in Rabat.
These agreements provide for dedicated and supervised professional visa appointment slots for CFCIM members, as well as the security and continuity of a mechanism facilitating economic mobility between France and Morocco. They also confirm the CFCIM as a recognized institutional interlocutor for supporting companies in their economic mobility.
Another agreement, relating to the promotion of cultural programming and language courses offered by the French Institute of Morocco, was also signed between the CFCIM and Agnès Humruzian, Director General of the French Institute of Morocco.
This agreement reflects the complementarity between economic diplomacy and cultural diplomacy and strengthens synergies within the French institutional network, serving the outreach and Franco-Moroccan cooperation.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the signing ceremony, Mr. Lecourtier stated that these announcements, covering French language learning, professional mobility, and support for French companies in Morocco, demonstrate the confidence placed by the French government in the CFCIM and its central role in the bilateral economic relationship.
Referring to the renewal in 2024 for three years of the public service concession “Team France Export” between Business France and the CFCIM, the ambassador highlighted the particular attention given to SMEs, which embody the future of the Franco-Moroccan economic partnership. He stressed the “win-win” nature of the partnership, based on trade, investment, and human capital development.
For his part, Mr. Le Bonté stated that the renewal of the lease and consular agreements constitutes a structuring step ensuring efficient and secure mobility conditions for CFCIM members.
These agreements, he said, will further streamline business exchanges between the two countries and sustainably consolidate the institutional role of the CFCIM in Morocco.
The Director General of the French Institute of Morocco indicated that the partnership is being pursued with ambition, both culturally and linguistically.
She recalled that the Institute operates a network of 12 language centers across the country and has a dedicated business service, “IF Maroc Pro,” offering specialized training in several sectors to support companies in strengthening the language skills of their teams and enhancing employability.
The signing ceremony was also marked by the announcement of the creation of the Maison de l’Exportateur et de l’Investisseur Français au Maroc (MEIF), presented as a one-stop shop designed to simplify, secure, and accelerate projects for French companies wishing to invest or expand in Morocco, by providing integrated support within the Team France framework.
Editorial team/le7tv