Morocco World News/ Maghreb Intelligence
Morocco World News/ Maghreb Intelligence
New York, January 23, 2012
The Council for Development and Solidarity (CDS), a Moroccan think tank with ties to both the public and private sectors, a year ago first began championing the idea to create a forum in Rabat (www.forumderabat.com ), similar to the world economic forum that takes place each year in Davos, Switzerland.
“To provide Morocco with a kind of Davos of Africa is not easy, especially since many have tried before, without success,” says one of the major players of this exclusive international conference.
The many challenges, including orchestrating logistics, have not undermined the determination of the CDS to create in the city of Rabat an annual international meeting. “It’s not a one-time only event, but a gathering that should grow over time to consider all events in Africa if it reaches critical mass,” says one fervent supporter of the Forum in Rabat.
The Forum takes as it’s subject “Issues of African Regional Integration,” and the prestige of the participants has garnered the attention of the press. Indeed, the organizers have accomplished a feat in securing the participation of high-level economic decision-makers, presidents of investment funds, special advisers to presidents, former ministers and senior international officials.
Those invited will discuss, for a day, the future of the continent and the challenges it is expected to face. According to one of the organizers, the hype that now surrounds the event has brought an influx of applications for registration.
In a country where sensitivities and antagonisms between political power (Rabat) and economic power (Casablanca) are severe, the Rabat Forum promises to be thought-provoking conversation. For the CDS, the Forum of Rabat is meant to anchor its influence over policy in the service of Morocco. A legitimate ambition given the list of the Forum’s participants.
Editing by Jasmine Davey
