As part of her two-day visit to the Kingdom of Morocco, The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Mrs. Fiona Woolf accompanied by a large delegation of businessmen, was received Wednesday, June 18th, 2014 in Rabat, by Mr. Mohammed BOUSSAID, Minister of Economy and Finance.
The meeting, which was attended by the Ambassador of the Kingdom in London Mrs.Chrifa Lalla Joumala Alaoui, was an opportunity for both parties to explore the possibilities of cooperation, particularly in the financial sector, through including the stock markets and the financial centers-London and Casablanca.
Moroccan business men answered several questions of their English counterparts relating to the possibilities of investment and partnership in Morocco.
The Minister of Economy and Finance stated at the meeting that the visit of Lord Mayor of the City of London to Morocco honored the success of the Kingdom on the international financial market through the issuance of a bond for an amount of € 1 billion.
In addition, Mr. BOUSSAID drew attention to the changes of the Moroccan economy by choosing to create several growth drivers. It was in this regard, the example of automobile exports which now figure greatly in Moroccan exports globally.
The Minister also gave an overview on the Moroccan economic situation and the reform projects carried out under the leadership of His Majesty the King and the opportunities they offer to further develop the tools and areas of cooperation between namely the financial centers of London and Casablanca. He expressed the desire of Morocco to develop a strategic partnership with financial institutions in London and see these institutions actively contribute to the success of the positioning of Casablanca as a regional financial center.
"We welcome the agreements signed Tuesday in Tetouan under the chairmanship of HM King Mohammed VI between the Chief Executive of the London Stock Exchange Group and the Chief Executive of the Casablanca Stock Exchange, which are likely to modernize and give momentum to the Casablanca Stock Exchange to ensure its openness to Africa, "stated Mr. BOUSSAID.
For her part, Mrs. Fiona Woolf argued that British investors are attracted by the enormous potential of the Moroccan economy and stated that the main objective is to promote and build a win-win partnership, promoting economic growth in Morocco and England as well as job creation in both countries.
Lord Mayor of the City of London estimates that Morocco has compelling advantages to attract investment by its strategic location in the region, its openness and its potential for growth and qualified as 'relevant' the reforms initiated by the Kingdom.
"The prospects of bilateral cooperation is very promising not only for the benefit for both countries but also for the development of the African market", noted Mrs. Fiona Woolf who congratulated the Kingdom for the recent bond issuance on the international financial market in London, stating that it demonstrated the confidence of Morocco at the international level.
It is clear that the Lord- Mayor of the City is the head of a large delegation of British businessmen, representing several sectors, including financial, energy as well as legal and adviceservices , which are exploring business opportunities and partnerships to serve the interests of both countries