Representatives from Morocco and Switzerland met on Monday, May 9 to discuss the future of investment between the two countries. Moroccan Minister of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies, Mohcine Jazouli, met with Swiss State Secretary Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen Fleisch. Also present at the meeting in Rabat was Guillaume Scheurer, the Swiss Ambassador to Morocco. During the talks, both parties discussed the possibility of introducing new investment across numerous sectors, pledging to hold frequent similar meetings in the future. Jazouli commented on the already strong relations between the two countries, stating that the meeting was “an opportunity to present to the Swiss official the various investment opportunities offered by Morocco.” Monday’s meeting was preceded by another successful discussion regarding Swiss investment in Morocco. The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Service of Geneva (CIGG) and the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Morocco (CCSM) held the meeting in late April under the theme of “Focus Morocco.” Morocco’s political stability and important strategic location were amongst the various benefits outlined in the meeting. The North African kingdom boasts a vast consumer market due to the over 50 free trade agreements it has signed with other nations.
In response to the successful talks, Ambassador Guillaume Scheurer referenced a previous beneficial Swiss-Moroccan agreement signed in December 2021, noting that the agreement has allowed for “increased cooperation in all areas.” These two most recent discussions suit the trend of growing relations between Switzerland and Morocco. The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) describes relations as “growing stronger in the economic domain and in many other areas, such as transport and energy.” In October 2020, the FDFA implemented a new strategy for relations in the Middle East and North Africa. Titled “The MENA 2021-14 strategy,” the document outlined Switzerland’s specific strategic aims for each country in the MENA region. In Morocco, the strategy entails a strong focus on digitization, sustainable development, and migration.