The Moroccan Employers’ Body (CGEM) and the Quebec Employers Council (CPQ) signed an agreement yesterday to strengthen and expand cooperation in the areas of investment and trade between Morocco, Canada, and the Canadian province of Quebec, at a meeting held in Casablanca.
“Morocco is an ideal gateway for entrepreneurs looking to expand into African markets, therefore CGEM and CPQ will be joining forces to strengthen the ties that unite the Moroccan and Canadian economies, to create synergies between business leaders from both countries, and to capitalize on each country’s economic potential,” the CPQ press release stated.
Signed by Chakib Alj, the President of CGEM, representing the largest private sector employers in Morocco, and his Canadian counterpart CPQ President Karl Blackburn, the agreement is designed to simplify the investment process for Moroccan and Canadian entrepreneurs and boost cross-border economic growth by streamlining procedures and creating a more favorable environment for bilateral investments.
Under the agreement, a CGEM delegation will visit Quebec in the Fall, and the CPQ will lead a mission to Morocco in early 2025.
“We are delighted by the signing of this accord, which is set to accelerate investment between Canadian, Quebec, and Moroccan companies in areas such as agrifood, renewable energies, digital, automotive, and aeronautics,” Alj stated. “We intend to join hands to bring our business communities closer together, to promote our countries and regions as well as their business climates, and to foster the creation of high-value, accretive projects.”
“Today is a turning point in the history of the economic Francophonie of the CPQ,” Blackburn said. “This collaborative engagement with the CGEM is only natural, as we share the same objectives, the same values, and the same ambitions. I look forward to seeing the results of our joint efforts to strengthen relations between entrepreneurs in our respective countries.”
Anas Guennoun, Vice-President of the CGEM’s International Commission; Rafik Lahlou, President of the Business Council Morocco-Canada; Danièle Henkel, Ambassador of the Francophonie Economy for the CPQ; and Denis Deschamps, Chairman of the CPQ Board of Directors also attended the signing ceremony.
Established in 1947, CGEM is the trade association for large Moroccan companies and private-sector entrepreneurs. It represents 90,000 members and works to promote a favorable economic environment for business development.
The CPQ was established in 1969 and is a coalition of over 100 sector-based associations and corporate members. It represents more than 70,000 employers from various sectors, including private and quasi-governmental sectors, of all sizes and regions.