The 30th edition of the Dakar International Fair (FIDAK) took place on Friday, with a special focus on Morocco and the theme “Morocco Now, catalyst of South-South partnership”. The event brought together Moroccan and Senegalese economic operators and entrepreneurs, including the Moroccan ambassador to Senegal, Hassan Naciri, the vice-president of the Moroccan Association of Exporters (ASMEX), Saloua Belkeziz, the director general of the International Center for Foreign Trade of Senegal (CICES), Salihou Keita, and Jean Koe Ntonga, the ambassador of Cameroon to Senegal and dean of the diplomatic corps.
In his speech at the event, Naciri highlighted the strong and exemplary relationship between Morocco and Senegal in all areas, including the economy, and stated that Senegal is one of Morocco’s main regional partners. He also pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the need for Africa to rely on its own resources and partnerships in order to take control of its own development, as HM King Mohammed VI stated in his 2014 speech in Abidjan.
Naciri encouraged African entrepreneurs to take advantage of the investment opportunities that will be presented with the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and to explore the potential for partnerships, joint ventures, and the movement of capital, goods, services, and people. He specifically mentioned the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, which aims to connect the two countries through several West African states, and its potential to create value chains along the pipeline route, as well as the strategic bridge linking Mauritania and Senegal, which is a key component of the Tangier-Lagos land link project.
During the event, the Senegalese Minister of Trade, Consumption, and SMEs, Abdou Karim Fofana, visited the Moroccan pavilion at FIDAK. A total of 16 Moroccan exhibitors participated in the 30th edition of the Dakar International Fair, which was held under the theme “the national private sector facing the challenges of economic sovereignty”.
