Rabat – Airbus aims for continuous expansion and cooperation with Morocco, with a goal of continuing work with universities to develop research partnerships.
Gabriel Semelas, Airbus President for Africa and the Middle East, commended the partnership with Morocco on the sidelines of the Marrakech Airshow in an interview with Moroccan state-owned news agency Maghreb Arab Press (MAP).
He said the company has now been present in Morocco’s market for 75 years, with the company producing aerostructures and composite materials in Morocco through three companies that have been operating in the country since 1951.
Semelas commented on the recently finalized acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, stating the group integrated Spirit’s former activities into its operations, particulalry in composites, complex structures, and electronic installations for aircraft.
“As of today, approximately 1,200 employees work directly for Airbus, alongside an ecosystem of more than 100 local Moroccan suppliers”, Semlas said.
The ecosystem creates over 10,000 skilled jobs, he added, stating that the next step in this cooperation lies in strengthening Morocco’s technological and research capabilities.
He said Airbus aims to work with universities to develop partnerships in research and development, innovation and youth training.
He also recalled an agreement signed by Airbus and local and international industry leaders to develop the Africa Center of Manufacturing Excellence, describing it as an important step forward in research and technology.
At the opening of the airshow, Morocco’s fertilizer group OCP signed an agreement with the Ministry of Industry, the National Defense Administration, and the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), alongside global companies including Lockheed Martin, Safran, Airbus, and Boeing, to advance research and development in Morocco’s aviation and industrial sectors.
The agreement, which the Technical Center for Mechanical Industries also signed alongside the ACME platform, seeks to establish the African Manufacturing Excellence Center with the participation of institutional and industrial stakeholders.
The Airbus executive said the agreement will allow the company to put its expertise at the service of efforts to strengthen Morocco’s industrial ecosystem and supply chain.
He added that this cooperation comes as Airbus ramps up production across several of its programs, particularly the A220, A350, and A330.
“For this, we need suppliers and capabilities such as those we have here in Morocco,” Semelas said, recalling the importance of research and technology partnerships that represent an “important step” toward further developing ties between Airbus and Morocco.
Semelas also commented on the importance of the Marrakech Airshow for Airbus, noting the event’s role as a platform or a bridge between different players in the aerospace industry.
“This is a very important airshow for us,” he said, noting that the company’s teams operate across the region and that the event has brought together numerous customers and suppliers.
