Paris: The French Development Agency (AFD) will start investing in the Moroccan Sahara, announced its CEO, Rémy Rioux, who intends to visit the Kingdom’s southern provinces. ‘The AFD Group will invest in the Sahara, a link between Morocco and its neighboring countries. I will soon visit La Syoun and Dakhla to meet the local population,’ Rioux told MAP, stressing that this decision is supported by the ‘all-Africa’ approach that AFD believes it shares with Morocco.

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the AFD CEO emphasized a shared commitment to an all-Africa approach aimed at promoting regional cooperation. He identified Morocco’s influence in Africa as a crucial element in supporting ongoing transitions on the continent. Rioux highlighted several areas of interest, including strengthening port cooperation across the Atlantic space, Rabat’s commitment to a pioneering Africa in terms of a sustainable blue economy, and food security initiatives like the Agrifinance platform. This platform, led by the OCP G
roup and supported by AFD, aims to finance the local transformation of agricultural value chains on the continent. Additionally, museum cooperation is set to promote exchanges of expertise for the benefit of several African countries.

Rioux also drew attention to other cooperation models, particularly in sports and professional training, where Morocco has played a pioneering role. The country has intensified innovative initiatives in several African nations. To bolster this exceptional partnership between Morocco and France, Rioux mentioned President Emmanuel Macron’s recent State visit to the Kingdom, which reaffirmed a commitment to sustainable development across Morocco’s territory and collaborative efforts on the African continent.

In line with these efforts, AFD has sealed six declarations of intent with the Moroccan government, representing over £900 million in co-investments over the next five years. AFD plans to support the Casablanca-Settat and Guelmim-Oued-Noun regions, contributing to the inclusi
ve and sustainable development of these areas. Additionally, AFD is strengthening its collaboration with OCP through a new partnership agreement aimed at supporting the decarbonization and resilience of both the Moroccan and broader African economies.

Highlighting priority sectors for the Moroccan-French partnership, Rioux cited the preservation of natural resources as a major challenge. The fight against water scarcity will be central to AFD’s interventions, supporting Morocco’s national water strategy. The Group also plans to extend its support for sustainable forest management and promote sustainable and resilient agriculture.

Socio-economic inclusion of youth and women is another AFD priority, supporting Morocco’s major social reforms. Economic recovery through private investment and entrepreneurial initiatives is also a focus area. AFD, along with Proparco, Expertise France, STOA, and Bpifrance, is collaborating with the Mohammed VI Fund for Investment to create the ‘Morocco-France Investment Accelerat
or.’

Lastly, the energy transition remains a key priority, with continued support for research and development in green hydrogen and sustainable mobility technologies. Over the past thirty years, AFD has invested more than £7 billion in Morocco, making it the Group’s leading partner country worldwide.