Fez – Chakib Alj, the President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Businesses (CGEM), has called on France to review its recently announced visa restrictions vis-a-vis Morocco, saying that the decision has made it excruciatingly difficult for Moroccan entrepreneurs to get a visa to France.
In September, France announced its decision to reduce the number of visas granted to citizens from three countries – Algeria, including Morocco, and Tunisia.
Alj raised the issue on November 22 during a meeting with France’s Delegate Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, Franck Riester, and in the presence of the French ambassador to Morocco, Helene Le Gal.
During the meeting, the CGEM president spoke at length about the difficulties that Moroccan entrepreneurs and business operators encounter when applying for the visa Schengen.
In addition to noting Moroccan economic actors’ displeasure with France’s new visa requirements, Alj argued that Paris’ tight visa regulations have a negative influence on trade and related economic exchanges between Morocco and France.
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The CGEM president stressed the need for the French and Moroccan governments to find a solution to this impediment of economic fluidity between their two countries.
Meanwhile, the French minister expressed his country’s understanding of the situation and pledged “to examine this situation from an economic point of view, to find appropriate solutions, in compliance with administrative and health procedures.”
The CGEM President talked in glowing terms of the quality of economic and trade cooperation between France and Morocco, highlighting the commitment of the Moroccan private sector to keeping the partnership in a conducive atmosphere for more trust and investments.
