On Thursday, the city of Marrakech hosted the third edition of the regional investment meetings organized by the Central Popular Bank, an initiative aimed at promoting productive investment and enhancing support for businesses within the framework of the investment charter implementation. This event is part of a promotional tour that began on February 16 and will continue until November 25, encompassing nine stops across various regions of the kingdom, including Dakhla, Laayoune, Agadir, Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Fez, and Nador. This widespread effort reflects a strong commitment to providing proximity and comprehensive coverage for businesses nationwide.
During the event, Idriss Ben Ismail, the General Director responsible for retail banking at the Central Popular Bank, emphasized that "the Popular Bank will continue to affirm its identity as a bank closely connected to the real economy." He further noted that the bank is dedicated to supporting various economic sectors, with the goal of encouraging project holders and fostering sustainable wealth creation. Ben Ismail assured that the Popular Bank’s model is not just a slogan but a tangible commitment.
He highlighted that the Popular Bank has supported generations of entrepreneurs across Morocco, including those in the Moroccan diaspora, contributing to major structural projects and accompanying the significant transformations experienced by the kingdom. He pointed out that the primary objective of this meeting is to practically present the new investment charter's contents, enabling every entrepreneur to have a clear understanding of the opportunities available to them.
In a similar vein, Ibrahim Asbih, the General Director of Services at the Marrakech-Safi Regional Council, stated that the region, following the royal directives and recognizing the importance of establishing a conducive investment climate, has engaged in a proactive and integrated approach to enhance its attractiveness and facilitate access to various investment opportunities. He explained that the region has launched several structural projects related to the establishment and development of industrial zones that meet international standards, providing investors with a suitable environment for settlement, production, and expansion of their activities.
Asbih pointed out that the current phase marks a shift from a traditional paradigm of supporting businesses to one that promotes productive investment and encourages entrepreneurial initiatives with long-term economic impacts in terms of added value and job creation. Furthermore, Mohamed Aifan, the President of the Popular Bank for the Marrakech-Beni Mellal region, noted that the Marrakech-Safi region plays a significant role in economic development, while the Beni Mellal region possesses strong agricultural and food industry capabilities, along with a substantial presence of Moroccans abroad, which serves as a crucial lever for investment.
Aifan added that the bank's branches and business centers, along with its support structures, currently mobilize around 800 employees to serve approximately 860,000 clients, including individuals, Moroccans abroad, and very small to medium enterprises. He continued, "Through this day, we aim to encourage investors to move into the execution phase by providing them not only with information but also with the necessary guidance and vision." He also mentioned that in a subsequent phase, more targeted and guided practical meetings with project holders will be organized in the form of workshops.
This meeting also saw the signing of a partnership agreement between the General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco and the Popular Bank of the Marrakech-Beni Mellal region. This agreement, signed by Mohsen Barada Al-Azizi, the President of the General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco in the Marrakech-Safi region, and Mohamed Aifan, aims to enhance cooperation for better support of businesses in their investment and transformational projects, as well as to foster the establishment, growth, and structuring of businesses to promote financial inclusion and access to banking services for very small enterprises.
The third edition of the regional investment meetings will journey to several cities across the kingdom, covering key regional economic hubs while organizing thematic seminars, practical workshops, individualized diagnostic sessions, and bilateral meetings that allow project holders to interact directly with institutional partners and experts from the Central Popular Bank.
As reported by 24saa.com.
