The 5th edition of the Gulf-Moroccan Investment Forum will be organized next November in Morocco.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Chambers Federation, in collaboration with the Gulf Cooperation Council General Secretariat, the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, and the Gulf Arab Media and Communication Agency, will host the Gulf-Moroccan Investment Forum from November 3 to 4, 2025, in the Kingdom of Morocco. The event will see significant participation from ministers, senior officials, and business leaders from both the Gulf and Moroccan sides.
In this context, the GCC Chambers Federation, represented by its Secretary-General Saleh bin Hamad al-Sharqi, signed a cooperation agreement with the Gulf Arab Media and Communication Agency, represented by its CEO Mohamed Ait Bousleham, assigning them the organization and executive supervision of the forum.
The forum aims to enhance the strategic partnership between the Gulf Arab countries and the Kingdom of Morocco across various domains, with the goal of strengthening economic and trade links between Morocco and the GCC nations, creating a structured space for communication between Moroccan and Gulf businessmen, showcasing investment opportunities on both sides, and fostering partnerships between the private sector and establishing Moroccan-Gulf companies.
Al-Sharqi noted that signing the agreement represents an initial step toward providing a qualitative forum that aligns with the aspirations of the prudent leadership of the GCC and the Kingdom of Morocco, further enhancing the deep brotherly and historical ties between both sides.
He emphasized that the forum aims to support the foundations of strategic partnership between the member states and Morocco within an integrated and exemplary economic framework, indicating that economic cooperation between the two sides is witnessing noticeable growth, especially with the increased openness of Gulf and Moroccan private sectors to joint investment opportunities.
He further mentioned that the forum will focus on maximizing the benefits from promising investment opportunities in industries, transport, logistics services, and Moroccan-Gulf integration in food security and agriculture, as well as investment opportunities in the real estate and tourism sectors, highlighting that Morocco’s strategic location makes it an important trading gateway for Gulf exports to Europe and Africa.
Al-Sharqi pointed out that economic relations between the GCC states and Morocco have seen remarkable development in recent years, reflected in the increase of direct Gulf investments in Morocco, especially in real estate, tourism, industry, and infrastructure, as well as the involvement of many Moroccan companies in Gulf projects.
For his part, Mohamed Ait Bousleham, CEO of the Gulf Arab Media and Communication Agency, stated that this edition is particularly significant as it comes within the framework of the joint Gulf-Moroccan economic plan during a period characterized by advanced attractiveness for global investments in the Moroccan market in preparation for the World Cup in 2030, and due to the pioneering economic reforms initiated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, positioning Morocco as a unique gateway to Africa and a hub for re-exporting to European and American markets.
He added that the forum will also address mechanisms to overcome challenges facing trade and investment exchanges, contributing to increasing intra-trade levels and joint investments.
Statistics from the Gulf Statistical Center indicate that the volume of trade exchange between the GCC states and the Kingdom of Morocco exceeded $3.77 billion by the end of 2023. The Gulf states primarily export oil and its derivatives, plastics, aluminum, iron and steel, along with a variety of other goods to Morocco.
Conversely, the council imports various goods from Morocco, including ready-made clothing, fruits and vegetables, cars, gold, and precious stones, among others.
According to the same statistics, the GDP of the GCC states reached approximately $2.2 trillion by the end of 2023.
The contribution of exports from goods and services to the GDP of the Gulf states accounted for about 62.2%, compared to 42.8% in Morocco. Importantly, the ratio of goods and services imports to the GDP of the council was about 40.5%, compared to 51% in Morocco.
It is worth mentioning that the last session of the Gulf-Moroccan Investment Forum was held in Casablanca under the generous patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in November 2014, in partnership with the Casablanca-Settat region, the municipality of the city, the regional investment center, the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, and the Moroccan Agency for Investment Development.
