The German Federal Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft - BVMW) officially launched its Morocco Office in Rabat on Friday. The event was attended by Karim Zidane, the Delegate Minister in charge of Investment, Convergence, and the Evaluation of Public Policies, alongside Christoph Ahlhaus, the General Director of BVMW Berlin. This move represents a significant milestone in bolstering the ties between Morocco and Germany. The primary aim is to facilitate the entry and growth of German small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Morocco. In partnership with the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE) and the German International Cooperation Agency for Development (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit - GIZ), the initiative seeks to enhance industrial and economic collaborations. During the ceremony, Ahlhaus emphasized that the opening of this office is a crucial development in strengthening economic connections between Morocco and German as well as European SMEs. He pointed out that SMEs are the backbone of economies, comprising 34 member associations with nearly 2.1 million businesses and over 20 million employees across Europe. He further noted that Morocco is increasingly capturing the interest of European entrepreneurs. He attributed this to the Free Trade Agreement signed with the European Union in 2000 and the preferential agreements with around sixty countries, which have attracted major investors like Renault and Stellantis, along with their subcontractors. In this context, Ahlhaus highlighted the cooperation agreement signed with AMDIE, which signifies a new era of partnership between the two nations. He explained that the BVMW office in Rabat is dedicated to encouraging entrepreneurs from diverse sectors to establish themselves in Morocco, aiming to create skilled jobs, facilitate the transfer of expertise and technologies, and foster a modern model of cooperation. The BVMW has also entered into several memoranda of understanding with AMDIE and GIZ, underscoring a commitment to complementary economic collaboration.
