French company, Auvergne Aeronautics, opens second plant in Morocco

Rabat, Morocco - The French company, Auvergne Aeronautics, in partnership with Casablanca Aeronautics, will this year open another plant in Morocco to manufacture aircraft parts, PANA learnt from authoritative sources.Its first plant, established in April 2008, deals with boilerworks and treats aluminium and steel surfaces in Morocco.Work on the new plant will start very soon, the sources said, adding that the manufacture of parts would be for big markets already existing in Morocco, among them the Aircelle (Safran Group), Socaero (Daher Socrata) and Morocco Aviation (EADS).The new plant will be built in an area covering between 4,000 and 6,000 square metres, and will cost about 9 million euros.While Auvergne Aeronautics manufactures big aircraft parts, Casablanca Aeronautics manufactures the small parts.In 2008, Casablanca Aeronautics made a turnover of 2 million euros and is projecting a profit of 5 million euros this year and between 11 to 12 million euros in 2010. It has a workforce of 400 people.The aeronautical sector in Morocco, with about 50 companies, employs more than 2,000 people, and plans triple its turn-over to 1 billion euros by 2012. Rabat - 03/02/2009Pana

Oman to Benefit from Morocco Expertise for Restoring Ancient Monuments

MUSCAT — Moroccan expertise will be extensively used in the restoration of ancient monuments and buildings of archaeological significance in Oman following a three-year deal signed between the two countries here.
The cultural cooperation accord, inked on Monday after a meeting of the Oman-Morocco Joint Committee, co-chaired by Manpower Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Bakri and visiting Moroccan Minister of Employment and Vocational Training Jamal Aghmani, also covers Oman’s financial contribution to a number of projects in the African kingdom.
Under the pact, the Ministry of Heritage and Culture assigns the Moroccan Ministry of Culture the task of renovating and maintaining some of the historic and archaeological sites in the Sultanate including castles, forts, towers, walls and mosques.
A detailed programme of restoration for each site will be drawn up after the two sides hold further discussions to decide on the architecture, quality specifications, technical manpower and cost of each of the projects. The agreement, which came into force on Monday and is valid until February 2012, provides for Oman’s financial assistance to a number of cultural projects in the kingdom, the fine points of which will be finalised later.
The cultural cooperation pact was one of several accords signed after the joint committee meeting. One lays down the framework for interaction between Oman’s Royal Hospital and the University Treatment Centre in Rabat aimed at, among other things, improving efficiency of health professionals. It was signed by Dr Ghazi bin Omar al Zubaindi, Director-general of the Royal Hospital, with Dr Noor Eddin bin Omar, Moroccan Ambassador to the Sultanate.
The two Arab states will enhance ties in electronic and print media under another deal. They will provide all necessary facilities for news correspondents from each other’s country, exchange radio and TV programmes, documentary films and serials and conduct joint training courses and projects. Another accord calls for stepping up bilateral trade. The two sides welcomed the signing of an agreement here on Sunday to set up an Omani-Moroccan Businessmen Council, which is due to hold its first meeting in Morocco in April.

La Flandre réussit une percée au Maroc

Quatrième fournisseur de la région belge en AfriquePour les entreprises flamandes, le Maroc est une destination stratégique. C’est cela qui justifie la tenue de la conférence annuelle de tous les délégués de la région Mena de Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), l’Agence de promotion de la Flandre et de soutien des PME de la région à l’étranger il y a quelques jours à Casablanca. «Les entreprises flamandes considèrent -à raison- que le Maroc garantit le meilleur accès à toute la région Afrique Moyen-Orient», confirme Claire Tillekaerts, directrice générale de la FIT. Déjà quelques-unes des grandes entreprises du secteur chimique venant de la Flandre sont actives au Maroc. La chimie est un secteur-clé de l’économie de la région flamande. Elle représente 15% du chiffre total d’exportation de la région. Le port d’Anvers abrite le plus important pôle chimique en Europe. La cote du Maroc n’a jamais été aussi élevée auprès du patronat flamand. Les entrepreneurs de la Flandre qui font des affaires au Maroc ainsi que ceux qui ont participé à la dernière mission sont très positifs, explique la directrice générale de Flanders Investment. Le sérieux des entrepreneurs marocains dans les négociations, l’expertise, le respect des accords établis sont fort appréciés, ajoute-t-elle. De Bruges, Anvers ou Gand, les chefs d’entreprises suivent de près la dynamique économique actuelle au Maroc, «un marché en plein essor, caractérisé par un rythme de croissance qui pourra bien se tenir en dépit de la conjoncture actuelle». Les réformes, les chantiers d’infrastructure, la mise à niveau d’un cadre réglementaire, ainsi qu’un net rapprochement à l’Union européenne, valent au Royaume un regain d’attractivité auprès des opérateurs flamands. Par ailleurs, «la situation politique très stable et fiable en fait un pays digne de confiance», confie la DG de la FIT.Pour les investisseurs flamands, le Maroc présente un potentiel d’opportunités d’affaires. Et il y a l’embarras du choix, selon Claire Tillekaerts : la construction et les matériaux à construction (logements, tourisme, infrastructure...), la logistique (matériaux, know-how, services, formation...), les nouvelles technologies dans le domaine de l’environnement, etc.Comment expliquer alors une certaine discrétion des entreprises flamandes sur les grands projets de construction lancés par le Maroc? «Nos entreprises ne sont pas absentes», tempère la directrice générale de Flanders Investment & Trade. «Ce sont nos entreprises qui livrent par exemple des enclos pour un projet important à Tanger, et livreront les profils alu pour un grand projet à El Jadida! La région est l’une des plus dynamiques en Europe sur le plan de l’export avec un ratio de plus de 100%. De ce fait, elle reste donc exposée au ralentissement de l’économie. La Flandre s’axera encore plus sur l’exportation de services et partagera son expertise acquise en matière de logistique, de technologies environnementales, de technologies de pointe, etc.En 2007, la Flandre a importé du Maroc à concurrence de 210 millions d’euros (2 milliards de dirhams), et a exporté pour 349 millions d’euros (3,5 milliards de dirhams) vers le Maroc. Sur le continent africain, le Maroc est notre 4e destination la plus importante. Les secteurs concernés sont: le textile, les produits minéraux, les synthétiques, le caoutchouc, le matériel de transport, la chimie et les produits pharmaceutiques, les machines et matériaux électriques et les métaux Dans le sens inverse, le Maroc exporte les produits agroalimentaires, les produits chimiques et pharmaceutiques. Il est le 4e fournisseur de la Flandre sur le continent africain. Le programme d’actions «Trade» 2008-2010 de la FIT pour le Maroc est exécuté comme prévu. Fin 2008, 17 entreprises flamandes ont participé à la mission économique multisectorielle. Plusieurs autres ont déjà signé un contrat avec un partenaire marocain (pour exemple: livraison et construction de 900 cuisines pour un projet immobilier) ou sont en négociation. Aussi, c’est en toute confiance que la FIT coorganise la mission économique du prince Philippe de Belgique au Maroc fin novembre 2009. Sa présence garantit en effet un grand intérêt et une participation nombreuse des entreprises flamandes. A. S.

Source : www.Leconomiste.com

Corporate Ambassadors Program

Corporate Ambassadors Program is Launched in Morocco to Strengthen U.S.-Middle East Business Ties

WASHINGTON, May 29 Morocco-women-programWASHINGTON, May 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On June 9, three top female executives from the United States will be part of the new Corporate Ambassadors Program to be launched in Casablanca, Morocco by the U.S. State Department's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and the Vital Voices Global Partnership. The American executives will join their Moroccan counterparts for a two-day event to share knowledge, insights and skills on general business issues, as well as those specific to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The exchange is part of the Corporate Ambassadors Program, a new strategy designed to develop women's entrepreneurship overseas by connecting high-level female executives from the United States with emerging businesswomen leaders from other countries. The program will equip women in emerging markets with management, business development, marketing, and communications skills. These skills are necessary for these women to expand their enterprises, help to provide for their families, and create jobs in their communities.Judith Willson (Vice President, Bernstein Global Wealth Management), Kathleen Diamond (Founder & CEO, Language Learning Enterprises, Inc.), and Sandra Taylor (President & CEO, Sustainable Business International, LLC) are the Corporate Ambassadors for the upcoming program in Morocco. Each woman, a leader in her respective field, will impart experience and knowledge in strategic planning, corporate growth, and corporate social responsibility during this dynamic program."The professional success of women not only brings economic benefits to the individual and her family but also serves to benefit the entire community, since she is a role model and an agent for change," stated Kent Patton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.During 2008 and 2009, the Corporate Ambassadors Program will continue to bring delegations of American CEOs and senior executives to meet with businesswomen in the Middle East and North Africa to discuss pressing business topics and address issues central to the success of businesswomen in the region. Developed to support the advancement of the MENA Businesswomen's Network, the Corporate Ambassadors Program is a partnership between local businesswomen's organizations across the MENA region. It provides a forum for peer learning, information exchange, business development, and access to education, resources and tools. Investment in women's leadership will create new agents for positive social, political, and economic change."The Corporate Ambassadors Program is an ambitious undertaking," said Mayada Ani Logue, Director of the MENA Businesswomen's Network program at Vital Voices Global Partnership. "It's well known that when women engage in business they make a tremendous positive difference to their families, their communities, and their countries. Through this program we hope to also provide tools to assist businesswomen worldwide in contributing to the global economy."The Corporate Ambassador event, to be held on June 9 and 10, 2008 in Casablanca, Morocco, is organized by the Moroccan Hub of the MENA Businesswomen's Network, the Association des Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises du Maroc (AFEM), under the theme of "Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Growth." It is estimated that over 200 Moroccan businesswomen and men will participate in the exchange of ideas to help solidify the critical link between businesswomen in the MENA region and the United States.Beth Brooke, Global Vice Chair for Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at Ernst & Young and Co-Chair of the Corporate Ambassadors Program, remarked during the first Corporate Ambassador event in Jordan, "When you think about it, women represent a growth business: women are fast becoming the majority of university graduates in most of the industrialized world, and as they gain access to economic opportunity, they are closing the prosperity gap. Much of that economic growth is going to occur because women are increasingly building businesses of their own. This is true in the United States, and this is true in the Middle East."The Corporate Ambassadors Program aims to nurture women's empowerment and leadership by leveraging the collective energy and experience of businesswomen's organizations throughout the MENA region together with the expertise of top American businesswomen. In Morocco, it is anticipated that the attendees will leave this event with new contacts and innovative ideas that will strengthen their companies and businesses and encourage them to share their experience with their sisters, daughters, colleagues and friends. By sharing knowledge, more women are empowered to contribute to the safety, security and prosperity of the world.For more information about the Corporate Ambassador Program, please visit www.menabwn.org or www.afem.ma.PRESS REQUIREMENTS:Media attendance is limited to those who pre-register by June 4. For the event agenda and to register, please email Naima Omari at om_naima@yahoo.fr or call her at + 212.22.39.75.93.EDITOR'S NOTE: The following are available for interviews:
Mayada Ani Logue, Director of the MENA Businesswomen's Network Program, Vital Voices Global Partnership, Tel: +1 202 296-2021 x 258, Email: mayadaanilogue@vitalvoices.org
Sandra Taylor, President & CEO, Sustainable Business International LLC Contact: Martine Charles, Tel: +1 310 598 1615, Email: martine@teamelevation.com
Beth Brooke, Global Vice Chair for Strategy and Regulatory Affairs, Ernst & Young Contact: Hilary Wilkenfeld, Tel: +1-202-327-5979, Email: Hilary.Wilkenfeld@ey.com
Bouthayna Iraqui-Houssaini, Association des Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises du Maroc, Tel: + 212.372.61662, Email : locamed@menara.maMENA Businesswomen's NetworkThe MENA Businesswomen's Network is a partnership between local businesswomen's organizations across the Middle East and North Africa, Vital Voices Global Partnership and the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) of the U.S. Department of State. The goal of the partnership is to build a network of businesswomen in MENA in order to expand the number of women in business, to increase the value of their businesses, to advance the role of women in society, and to promote a regional culture of women's entrepreneurship. The MENA Businesswomen's Network provides a forum for peer learning, information exchange, business development and access to education, resources and tools, all of which are supportive of expanding economic opportunities and building networks for businesswomen in the region. Members of the Network are organizations that are committed to contributing to economic growth and reform, to supporting the needs of women-led businesses and professional women and to having a significant social impact. Network Hubs are in place in ten countries: Bahrain, Dubai, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Tunisia, and the West Bank/Palestinian Territories. Additional Hubs will be added in 2008. To learn more about the MENA Businesswomen's Network and the Network Hub in your country please visit www.menabwn.org.U.S. Department of State's Middle East Partnership InitiativeThe Middle East Partnership Initiative launched in 2002, serves as the principal U.S. Department of State initiative to foster democratic reform and the advancement of vibrant, prosperous societies in the Middle East and North Africa devoting more than $480 million to over 450 programs in 17 countries. More information is available at www.mepi.state.gov.Vital Voices Global PartnershipVital Voices Global Partnership is the preeminent non-governmental organization (NGO) that identifies, trains, and empowers emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the globe, enabling them to create a better world for us all. Our international staff and team of over 1,000 partners, pro bono experts and leaders, including senior government, corporate and NGO executives, have trained and mentored more than 5,000 emerging women leaders from over 150 countries in Asia, Africa, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East since 1997. We have equipped these women with management, business development, marketing, and communications skills to expand their enterprises, help to provide for their families, and create jobs in their communities. These women have returned home to train and mentor more than 100,000 additional women and girls in their communities. They are the Vital Voices of our time. For more information about Vital Voices, please visit www.vitalvoices.org.AFEMThe Association des Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises du Maroc (AFEM) is the largest women's professional association and the largest women business owners' organization in Morocco with around 390 members. Created in September 2000 at the initiative of women entrepreneurs willing to take an active part in the economic and industrial development of their country and to constitute a national network, AFEM provides resources and services through education, networking, and public advocacy to empower its members to achieve career success and financial security. To learn more about AFEM, please visit www.afem.ma.For more information about the Corporate Ambassador Program, please visit www.menabwn.org or www.afem.ma.SOURCE Vital Voices Global Partnership