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Mohammedia – Casablanca set the stage for high-level dialogue and collaboration this week as it welcomed LOGITERRE 2025 yesterday, the International Forum and Exhibition for Mobility, Transport, and Logistics. The event gathered more than 40 countries to address Africa’s pressing transport and logistics challenges—from infrastructure gaps to decarbonization and digital transformation.
The African Union of Transport and Logistics Organizations (UAOTL) and AMTRI-Maroc spearheaded the three-day event in partnership with Morocco’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics.
The gathering’s goal is to turn policy reflection into concrete cooperation and position logistics as a strategic driver of economic growth, continental integration, and sustainability, said the organizers.
In his opening address, UAOTL President Mustapha Chaoune called LOGITERRE “a platform for collective intelligence,” emphasizing that the forum was designed not merely as an exhibition, but as a working space for practical solutions.
He underscored the shared vision of creating “an Africa that circulates, connects, and moves forward together.”
Throughout the first day, Morocco’s experience stood out as a continental model. With infrastructure anchored by Tanger Med Port, the Nador West Med project, and the Dakhla Atlantic port under construction, the North African country has continued to strengthen its position as a gateway between Africa, Europe, and the Atlantic.
Morocco’s 1,800-kilometer motorway network and expanding logistics zones were repeatedly cited as examples of how strategic planning can fuel competitiveness.
Ambassador Mohammed Arrouchi, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the African Union and UNECA, reaffirmed the country’s continental commitment to sustainable mobility.
He linked the forum’s objectives to the Royal Atlantic Initiative, which seeks to integrate Sahel and Atlantic nations into shared development corridors. “Africa must no longer be seen as a periphery,” he said. “It must become a new center of prosperity and cooperation.”
Logistics as the backbone of Africa’s economic sovereignty
During the panel on “Logistic and Regulatory Harmonization,” international experts—including Philippe Richard, advisor to the International Road Transport Union—highlighted the need for standardized procedures across borders. “We do not transport just for the sake of transport,” Richard said. “We transport so that it benefits the populations across the entire continent.”
Energy transition and environmental performance were also major themes of the gathering. Ahmad Harbaz, Director of Operations at the Tanger Med Port Authority, outlined the port’s roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2030.
He noted that Tanger Med handled over 10 million containers in 2024 and now operates entirely on renewable electricity, supported by floating solar systems and wind-energy projects.
The National Railway Office (ONCF) presented figures showing that rail transport continues to play a decisive role in cutting emissions and congestion. In 2024, ONCF moved 32 million tonnes of freight, avoiding 1.2 million truck trips and reducing carbon output by more than 700,000 tonnes.
Similarly, representatives of the National Agency for Logistics Development (AMDL) and the National Transport and Logistics Company (SNTL) outlined progress in developing regional logistics zones and modern multimodal corridors that link production centers with ports and borders.
Beyond infrastructure, the discussions turned to the human and social dimensions of logistics. The participation of young professionals and women leaders from across Africa marked a visible shift in a traditionally male-dominated sector.
Speakers such as Sarah Rabin from Tunisia’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union stressed the role of logistics in achieving agricultural sustainability and food security through better rural-market connectivity.
As panels unfolded, a consistent message emerged: logistics is not just a technical discipline but the backbone of Africa’s economic sovereignty.
Delegates called for coordinated policies, greener investments, and accelerated digitalization to ensure that goods, people, and opportunities circulate freely across the continent.
LOGITERRE 2025 continues through the week with sessions on inter-African connectivity, maritime trade, and infrastructure financing.
As Casablanca hosts leaders and innovators from across the continent, the city stands as a symbol of Africa’s determination to build a logistics ecosystem that is modern, sustainable, and united in purpose.
