Montpellier's mayor, Michaël Delafosse, on Tuesday urged French business operators to seize the investment opportunities offered in Morocco. «We must pay close attention to the promising development dynamic underway in Morocco and support the opportunities emerging in the country», Delafosse emphasized during an Economic Day organized in Montpellier in coordination with the Consulate General of the Kingdom. Highlighting the major projects launched across several Moroccan regions, particularly in the provinces, he cited renewable energy, healthcare, audiovisual production, decarbonization, and transport as «highly promising sectors for the future of our partnership». «We still have much to accomplish together through a win-win vision in key growth industries. Economic actors, in particular, are encouraged to support the new momentum in bilateral relations», added Delafosse, who also serves as president of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole. Recalling his recent visit to several Moroccan cities, he stressed the enormous development and investment potential of Dakhla, a region that has already attracted significant interest from Montpellier-based operators. Also present at the meeting, held alongside the opening of the Arabesques Festival, where Morocco is guest of honor, was Olivier Carmes, director of the Port of Sète Sud de France. He advocated for enhanced port services as a key lever to promote tourism exchanges across the Mediterranean. The Port of Sète, he noted, is not only a gateway for more than 150,000 travelers heading to Morocco each year but also a genuine import-export hub, particularly in the fast-growing automotive sector. «Today, it is also crucial to further develop freight activity with Morocco, which is positioning itself as a major hub for the entire region», he stressed. In the same spirit, Jalil Benabdillah, vice-president of the Occitanie Region in charge of economic affairs, highlighted the vital role of decentralized cooperation and territorial diplomacy in fostering these exceptional Franco-Moroccan ties. The growing interest of French business leaders, especially in Montpellier, for Morocco is reflected in the creation of the Morocco-Occitanie Club, which seeks to build a favorable environment for business exchanges between the two sides, he explained. During this economic forum, attended by Soumia Bouhamidi, Consul General of the Kingdom in Montpellier, roundtables were dedicated to flagship sectors of partnership between the French region and Morocco. Discussions focused on supporting industrial cooperation in strategic areas such as cultural and creative industries, renewable energies and hydrogen, AI for healthcare, and the decarbonization of air and maritime transport. Representatives from the Occitanie region, the city of Montpellier, Moroccan and French business leaders, and officials from several institutions, including the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE), also took part. The event was held ahead of the Arabesques Festival, which offers an immersion into Arab culture. The festival's 20th edition will devote a significant part of its program to Moroccan artists.
