The Dakar Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (CCIAD) on Tuesday welcomed a large Moroccan delegation as part of an economic mission to strengthen trade and bilateral relations between Senegal and Morocco.
The grand hall of the CCIAD, one of the most prestigious buildings in downtown Dakar, was decked out in its finest attire on Tuesday, November 5, to welcome distinguished guests. A delegation of 34 Moroccan entrepreneurs, led by Said Dor, President of the Souss-Massa Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIS), arrived in Senegal on Sunday to explore business opportunities.
In his welcome speech, CCIAD chairman Abdoulaye Sow expressed his enthusiasm for the visit, which is particularly symbolic in this year of the 60th anniversary of the founding agreement between Senegal and Morocco.
“Welcome to Senegalese soil, the land of teranga (hospitality),” he declared, recalling that this historic partnership has led to fruitful cooperation in sectors such as education, religion, infrastructure, fisheries, health, real estate, agriculture and public works. He also highlighted the importance of the new Dakar-Agadir shipping line, which he described as “another example of the dynamism of this partnership.”
Sow invited Moroccan companies to invest more in Senegal as part of a “win-win partnership”, while stressing the need to rebalance trade between the two countries. Currently, he noted, Moroccan imports into Senegal amount to more than 123 billion CFA francs, while Senegalese exports to Morocco amount to about 20 billion CFA francs. “This partnership needs to be rebalanced,” he says, suggesting that setting up production units in Senegal and exporting local products could help reduce this imbalance.
Productive investment
In his speech, the President of the National Confederation of Senegalese Employers (CNES), Adama Lam, affirmed that the local private sector is “ready to cooperate” with Moroccan entrepreneurs. “Morocco has built a strong and diversified economy,” he stressed, encouraging Moroccan investors to “focus on productive investments” in Senegal.
For his part, CCIS President Said Dor expressed his “deep gratitude” to the organizers and to Morocco’s Ambassador in Dakar, Hassan Naciri, for their support. Recalling the common heritage between Senegal and Morocco, he highlighted the Dakar Economic Mission as a symbol of a shared desire to initiate sustainable co-development.
“By bringing together economic actors from both regions, we are working to strengthen South-South cooperation,” he stressed, referring to common global challenges such as job creation, innovation and the transition to an inclusive economy.
Mr. Sow used the meeting to highlight Senegal as a strategic hub in West Africa, praising its steadily improving business environment. He also spoke of the Senegalese government’s efforts to enhance the country’s attractiveness through the recent Etats généraux de l’industrie et du commerce held last October.
“The aim is to fine-tune strategies to promote an attractive business environment (…) but also to accelerate industrial and commercial development to ensure national sovereignty and the competitiveness of Senegalese products and services on the international market,” he explained, adding that Senegal is moving towards a new industrial and commercial strategy for the 2050 horizon.
Comparative advantages
In his turn, Ambassador Hassan Naciri assured the audience that Moroccan entrepreneurs “are here to move forward in all sectors” in order to create “wealth”. When asked about the balance of trade, the diplomat referred to the economic theory of “comparative advantage” and noted that “there are things that can be done in Morocco and Senegal”.
Said Dor praised the commitment of the two leaders, King Mohammed VI and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to strengthening cooperation. “Their enlightened vision and determination to strengthen cooperation between Morocco and Senegal are the pillars of this exceptional dynamic,” he declared, adding that this commitment not only serves their peoples but also contributes to Africa’s influence.
The Moroccan delegation, made up of real estate developers, service providers and livestock importers, is continuing its B2B exchanges with the Senegalese business community. It already visited the Diamniadio Special Economic Zone on Monday and is planning other business prospecting activities until next Saturday, the eve of the end of its one-week stay in Senegal.
ODL/te/lb/as/APA