The dynamics of Casablanca Finance City (CFC) is fully part of the royal vision in favor of African integration, said its director general, Saïd Ibrahimi, on the sidelines of the 4th edition of the Europe-Africa Forum, organized in Marseille.
“The speech of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in Abidjan in 2014 has drawn a clear orientation: that of an Africa which trusts Africa, and a Morocco which fully assumes its leadership,” recalled Mr. Ibrahimi, stressing that this ambition is reflected in a coherent economic diplomacy and a growing presence of Morocco on the continent.
With more than 40 % of its foreign direct investments directed to sub -Saharan Africa, Morocco is today the second African investor on the continent. This strategy is based on leading infrastructure such as the port of Tangier Med, a developed air network and a series of trade agreements with the European Union, the United States and many African countries.
CFC is positioned as the operational arm of this ambition. It offers a regulatory framework for international standards for European groups and acts as a gateway to African markets. “Our role goes beyond simple financial intermediation. We build ecosystems, share economic intelligence and support skills, ”said Ibrahimi.
CFC also plays a role of strategic analysis by publishing studies on economic changes on the continent, especially around ZLECAF, thus providing useful light to European and African decision -makers.
Casablanca financial center is today embodied a convergence between strategic vision, regional anchoring and global ambition. Morocco appears there as a stable anchor, geographically close to Europe, but firmly attached to Africa, with a compatible regulatory framework and a strong economic depth.
This attractiveness is reflected in the increase in FDI in 2024, up more than 55 %. For Mr. Ibrahimi, this movement confirms a change of scale: “Morocco is no longer a simple crossing point, but an anchoring hub in a logic of friendshoring”.
Casablanca today offers a full ecosystem: headquarters of the main Moroccan banks and insurance, the third scholarship on the continent, airport connected to more than 100 destinations, multilingual talent pool and competitive implementation cost. Nearly 240 companies are members of CFC, including 50 French women, strengthening the role of gateway between Europe and Africa.
The financial center also continues its commitment to sustainable finance. It collaborates with the CDG to develop a voluntary carbon regional market and actively participates in international initiatives such as the Financial Centers for Sustainability (FC4S) and UNP Finance Initiative. Since 2025, she chairs the world Alliance of International Financial Centers.
“In an uncertain world, this capacity for intermediation becomes a real geoeconomic asset for Morocco and for the African continent,” concludes Said Ibrahimi.
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