Casablanca Finance City Announces the Second Edition of the Casablanca Business Forum
Casablanca Finance City (CFC) has officially announced the upcoming second edition of the Casablanca Business Forum, set to take place on October 2, 2026. This year's theme is "Africa’s Next Economic Chapter," featuring a notable keynote address by Professor Philippe Aghion, the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics. The Forum aims to gather public decision-makers, business leaders, investors, financial institutions, and international experts to collectively explore strategies that will enable Africa to boost its competitiveness, enhance its influence in global governance, and transition from being merely an investment destination to an active participant in the emerging economic dynamics.
New Global Equilibriums: Africa's Strategic Position
In a world characterized by geopolitical tensions, a resurgence of protectionism, climate imperatives, and rapid technological advancements, both states and businesses are re-evaluating their strategies, investments, and value chains. For Africa, these transformations present a pivotal question: how can the continent enhance its sovereignty while capitalizing on new investment and growth opportunities? The Forum in Casablanca will initiate discussions on the critical choices that will shape Africa's trajectory in the coming years. This edition will convene leaders, experts, and institutional representatives to address five key issues: economic sovereignty, global competition for capital, international economic governance, regional integration—especially driven by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)—and talent mobilization.
Professor Philippe Aghion, whose research focuses on innovation, growth, and creative destruction, will discuss the mechanisms through which economic and technological transformations can become engines of productivity and competitiveness. Alongside him, a distinguished lineup of speakers will include Corinne Amori Brunet, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Benin; Amina Benkhadra, the Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines; Elisabeth Moreno, former French Minister and Chairwoman of the Board at Ring Capital & Ring Africa; Lionel Zinsou, former Prime Minister of Benin and co-founder of SouthBridge; Abdellatif Mâzouz, President of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Council; Mehdi Tazi Riffi, CEO of Tanger Med; Alain Ebobissé, President of Africa50; Vera Songwe, President and Founder of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility; Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education and Skills at the OECD; and Philippe Valahu, CEO of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG).
For a complete list of speakers and the forum agenda, please visit this link.
As the leading financial hub in Africa, Casablanca Finance City houses nearly 300 companies committed to the continent, representing 70 nationalities and operating in 53 African countries. Positioned at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, CFC connects international businesses and investors to African markets, thus reinforcing Casablanca's role as a gateway to the continent and a regional platform that supports economic integration and growth.
As reported by ecoactu.ma.
