A delegation of the African Development Bank Group has concluded a consultation and dialogue mission to Morocco as part of wrapping up its North Africa Regional Integration Strategy ahead of the launch of a new strategic framework for the region covering 2027-2033.
The delegation, led by the AfDB North Africa Director General, the Chief Regional Program Officer and the Chief Regional Integration Coordinator visited Rabat and Casablanca from 8 to 12 June 2026 for in-depth discussions with the Moroccan government, business leaders, and representatives of regional institutions, including the General Secretariat of the Arab Maghreb Union. The consultations focused on priorities, constraints and opportunities around regional integration including value chain development, economic corridors, the role of the private sector, and strategic and operational partnerships. Participants stressed the importance of such sectors as agribusiness, the automotive and aerospace industries, textiles, pharmaceuticals, mining, and green energy.
The discussions also affirmed Morocco's strategic position as an industrial, logistics and financial hub linking North Africa, the Sahel, West Africa, and Europe. The quality and connectivity of its infrastructure, its openness to trade, the dynamism of its private sector and its growing role in regional financial integration are critical assets for stimulating trade, investment, and economic transformation through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
"These consultations confirm that regional integration must now translate into concrete, bankable projects driven by the real needs of African economies and businesses," said Mohamed El Azizi, Director General of the African Development Bank Group for North Africa. "Morocco has major assets with which to contribute to this momentum by connecting infrastructure, value chains, the private sector and regional partnerships in support of more inclusive and job-rich growth," he added.
Development partners that took part in the consultation expressed their support for a more results-oriented approach to deepening integration, including the co-financing of corridor projects, enhanced trade finance instruments, and the development of platforms for regional dialogue platforms, among others.
