“Morocco and Switzerland enjoy growing economic relations with strong potential for further improvement”

This year marks the 100^th anniversary of the Swiss diplomatic presence in Morocco. How do you plan to celebrate this great moment in such a special context?

The first Swiss honorary consulate opened its doors in Casablanca in 1921. Such an anniversary gives us the opportunity to celebrate 100 years of friendship and cooperation between Morocco and Switzerland. Despite the uncertainties linked to the health crisis, we decided to embark on an ambitious programme focused in particular on innovation and other important themes such as history, the economy, art and culture. In this context, the celebrations will be officially launched on 22 June at the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco. A historical conference will be organised to retrace the defining moments of the bilateral relationship between our countries. It will be followed by a reception showcasing Swiss gastronomy and innovation thanks to the Roboclette.

Along the same lines, we have also planned a series of conferences on the theme “Innovation and questions of the present time”. In concrete terms, this cycle includes seven conferences to be held between June 2021 and January 2022. The themes envisaged and the scale of the project naturally led to the creation of a partnership between the Embassy of Switzerland, the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology, the latter two being prestigious institutions and benchmarks for the preservation and development of knowledge in Morocco. The inaugural lecture, entitled “Artificial intelligences: myths and realities”, will be delivered on 24 June 2021 by the Swiss-Moroccan Professor Rachid Guerraoui of EPFL.

More generally, how do you assess Moroccan-Swiss relations, both politically and economically?

Political relations are flourishing, which we welcome. On the economic front, Morocco and Switzerland enjoy growing relations and work continuously to promote cooperation in various fields. This is particularly the case in sectors such as sustainable tourism, transport, agriculture and alternative energies.

These good relations are illustrated by the dynamism of our trade, which exceeded 600 million euros for the first time in 2019. This makes Morocco our third-largest trading partner in Africa. In addition, our investments here translate into almost 10,000 jobs spread across more than 50 Swiss companies active in a wide variety of sectors. Several large Swiss companies are present, such as Nestlé, LafargeHolcim, ABB, Givaudan, SGS, Sicpa, Sika, Swissport, Syngenta, etc., but also smaller companies.

How can the Embassy help make cooperation between the two countries run more smoothly?

The Embassy has several assets for smoothing relations between Morocco and Switzerland, notably through the presence of 3 honorary consulates, the most recent of which was recently inaugurated in Agadir. The presence of a Swiss community of around 1,800 compatriots is also a real asset. This community is very active with small businesses, with a presence and interaction in various fields (economic, commercial, cultural and humanitarian). A relationship based above all on exchange and cooperation. I would also like to highlight the enormous work carried out by the team of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Morocco. In this respect, the Chamber’s 160 members are highly valued partners of the Embassy. To make cooperation smoother and better, we must work and act together in this direction.

The Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Morocco (CCSM) aims to create more synergy with the Embassy and Swiss institutions. How do you assess this approach? How can the Embassy actively contribute to it?

The Chamber is a central partner with which we have excellent relations. I really want to commend it for its dynamism. Despite a difficult health context, the CCSM has shown resilience, notably by organising webinars with prestigious guests and interesting themes. These virtual events have been greatly appreciated by the Chamber’s members. Together with the President of the CCSM, we have developed joint collaboration, notably through political and economic visits to several Moroccan cities. These were opportunities to meet local authorities, regional institutions and Swiss companies. I believe these joint visits allow each of us to add value. Both entities are making enormous efforts to strengthen themselves continuously and thus develop a shared coherence, particularly with potential partners. It is very important to keep exchanging regularly in order to generate concrete actions to attract more Swiss players to Morocco.

A final word for Swiss companies wishing to invest in Morocco?

Generally speaking, it is important for Swiss companies wishing to invest in Morocco to follow the example of, or draw inspiration from, those that have already been active in the Kingdom for many years. They need to become aware, to move beyond the usual clichés and to come to Morocco seeing it as a modern, industrial country with high-quality infrastructure and well-trained human capital. It is also important for these companies to take an interest in Morocco not only for its intrinsic qualities and potential, but also to regard the Kingdom as a platform and an open door to the African continent.