Government boosts economic relations between Spain and Morocco

CEMAES is an instrument that seeks to promote bilateral business collaboration and strengthen trade relations with Morocco as the gateway to Africa. Reyes Maroto offered Spain's collaboration in the process to modernise the economy and institutions that the Moroccan authorities have set in motion, and highlighted the commitment by Spanish companies to Morocco, where they are increasingly exporting, importing and producing more. Morocco is the second-largest export market outside of the EU, with a presence of more than 600 Spanish companies that intend to remain in the country.

The Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism also offered the government's collaboration at the breakfast meeting prior to the Council meeting, attended by more than 40 business owners, who conveyed to the minister the opportunities for investment in Morocco, as well as certain areas of action that require institutional support. Reyes Maroto encouraged them to continue investing and working to further internationalise their companies. "Now is the time to look beyond our borders, to define new areas for economic and business cooperation and to expand this to the African continent, so that we help enhance Morocco's strategic position as a gateway to Africa", stressed the minister.

At the same meeting, the State Secretary for Trade, Xiana Méndez, referred to economic inter-dependence in such sectors as the automotive industry, energy or textiles, which could be integrated in the same value chain on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar. "This integration in the global value chain has become the dominant paradigm in our economic and trade relations and strengthens our ability to compete in a global marketplace; this new paradigm makes our trade relations an ever greater example of their complementary nature". For the last four years, Spain has been the leading customer and supplier of Morocco.

CEMAES

The Morocco-Spain Economic Council is the result of a partnership agreement signed during the visit of King Juan Carlos I to Morocco in 2013. The Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (Spanish acronym: CEOE) and its Moroccan counterpart - the CGEM) - signed the agreement in Rabat which seeks to promote investment, cooperation and the rapprochement of Spanish and Moroccan companies. In November 2015, CEMAES was presented to the King of Spain, but it has not met until now.
CEMAES is made up of some 30 companies from each country, an Executive Committee and an Advisory Council. It is co-presided over by Mario Rotllant (Cobega, Coca-Cola Maroc) and Salah-Eddine Kadmiri (Schiele). Houda Bengazi is the Director-General. Inclusion as a member of CEMAES is based on a quantitative investment criterion and a criterion of having operating presence in Morocco.

Non official translation