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Join on Telegram The Moroccan American Network will organize an economic forum following the SelectUSA investment summit.
The economic forum will take place between June 27-29 in 2024, according to a statement the network shared with Morocco World News.
“The forum aims to facilitate meetings between Moroccan business leaders and their American counterparts to discuss economic collaboration and partnerships, aligning with the strong ties between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States,” the press release said.
Enhancing Morocco Day Success
The forum, according to the network, is a “significant” opportunity to embellish the success of Morocco Day, an annual event shedding light on Morocco’s business and cultural assets as well as to discussing prospects seeking to enhance Morocco-US relations.
The Moroccan American Network previously received official recognition from Muriel Bowser, the Mayor of Washington DC, to officially celebrate Morocco through “Morocco Day” every July 15.
Two years ago, Mayor Justin Wilson of Alexandria, Virginia also designated July 10 of each year to celebrate Morocco.
The Moroccan American Network emphasized that its economic forum is part of its annual program for 2024, celebrating “Morocco Day” in Washington D.C
The event will be an opportunity to “enhance the success of ‘Morocco Day,’ dedicated to economic and investment activities and creating fruitful partnerships between Moroccans and Americans through the exchange of experiences,” the network noted in its statement. It also serves as a platform for creating new opportunities for economic growth.
Leveraging the existing strong ties
The Moroccan American Network’s economic forum will feature business-to-business meetings as well as government-to-business meetings, serving the Moroccan businessman class participating in the event.
The forum is part of the efforts of the Moroccan American Network and its goals to boost US-Morocco ties at all levels, particularly trade.
In line with this objective, the network announced last year its decision to launch a US-Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Investment Promotion to encourage diaspora members and US business people to invest in Morocco.
The non-governmental Chamber of Commerce seeks to introduce a program that aims to create stronger ties between the two countries.
The chamber vowed to implement King Mohammed VI’s instructions made in his August 2022 speech commemorating the anniversary of Morocco’s Revolution of the King and People.
“It is a fact that the state is making significant efforts to receive Moroccans living abroad in the best conditions. However, that is not enough,” the King said.
On November 21, the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) celebrated the strong bilateral ties between Morocco and the US as well as the increase in their trade cooperation.
Highlighting the significant ties between the two countries came in a statement where NUSACC announced that it named Princess Lalla Joumala, Morocco’s ambassador to the US, as the 2023 Ambassador of the Year.
NUSACC also attributed the development of relations to the role of Princess Lalla Joumala.
The chamber of commerce recalled the significance of the 2006 Free Trade Agreement between the US and Morocco, emphasizing Morocco’s position among the top five destinations for US goods exports to the Arab World
“On the strength of the FTA, U.S. goods exports to Morocco have grown from $837.9 million in 2006 to $3.717 billion in 2022, an increase of 343.7 percent,” it said.
United through sports
The forum will also include talks and discussions seeking to expand cooperation to include not only political dialogue and trade, but also sports.
The Moroccan American Network wants the event to endorse other activities, including friendly football games.
The network aims to hold a friendly game between a Moroccan football club and US’ DC United, a Washington-based professional football club.
It also plans to encourage a basketball squad to play a friendly match with a Moroccan basket club.
The network said in its statement that it trusts Angie Gate, the president and chief executive officer of the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, to give a positive nod for similar sporting events between US and Moroccan football and basket clubs.
This comes at a time when Morocco is strengthening its global image following its historic run to the World Cup in Qatar last year.
The Atlas Lions, the Moroccan national football team, received global support and admiration as they made history at the global tournament by becoming the first African and Arab team to reach the semi-finals.
US President Joe Biden also celebrated Morocco’s World Cup achievement, lauding the Atlas Lions’ eye-catching performance at the FIFA competition.
“No matter who you’re rooting for, it was remarkable to watch how this team [Morocco] has been able to achieve,” Biden wrote.
The US president made the remark following his meeting with Morocco’s Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, where the two watched a Morocco World Cup game together on the sidelines of the US-Africa Summit.
