The Forum of African Associations of Economic Intelligence (FAAIE); the USA-based Strategic Consortium of Intelligence Professionals (SCIP); and the Paris-based Francophone International Association of Economic Intelligence (AIFIE) signed a memorandum on Tuesday to create a new International Center for Research and Training in Economic Intelligence in Dakhla, in the far south of Morocco.
The center will conduct studies and pursue activities of common interest to the three institutions. It will also include promoting and developing projects in economic intelligence and organizing training programs in capacity building for businesses, territories, and central and local administrations in Africa and worldwide.
The facility also will enable the three associations to share know-how, exchange information, and develop partnerships for the center with public and private institutions, governmental and non-governmental organizations locally, nationally, and internationally.
FAAIE’s president Driss Guerraoui, SCIP’s head Paul Santilli, and AIFIE’s head Philippe Clerc signed the memorandum.
Guerraoui said, “The three parties agreed to establish this International Center in Dakhla in December 2023 during the 4th Forum of African Associations of Economic Intelligence, held as part of the activities of the Dakhla Open University.”
FAAIE’s head noted that “choosing Dakhla as the location for this International Center demonstrates the city’s leadership in economic intelligence.”
Clerc stated that AIFIE seeks to promote the concept and practices of French economic intelligence through research, training, and forecasting, as well as exchanging best practices and stimulating innovation to achieve new economic and cultural efficiencies.
Santilli pointed out that the partnership will allow the signatories to work together to enhance the leadership of various actors in economic intelligence, adding that it will serve as a “perfect platform in Africa and worldwide” for stakeholders.