Morocco and Mali revive business council to boost bilateral investment

Morocco and Mali have revived the Morocco-Mali Business Council as part of renewed efforts to strengthen economic cooperation and expand investment between the two countries. The initiative was announced during the Mali-Morocco Business Forum in Bamako, where more than 300 business leaders and public officials gathered to deepen commercial ties.

The forum was jointly organized by the Mali Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIM), the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), and Mali’s National Employers’ Council (CNPM). It took place alongside the fourth session of the Morocco-Mali Joint Cooperation Commission, marking the first ministerial meeting under this framework since 2000.

Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour attended the event with his Malian counterpart Moussa Alassane Diallo. They were joined by CGEM President Mehdi Tazi, CCIM President Madiou Simpara, and CNPM President Mossadeck Bally.

The Moroccan delegation included companies operating in agrifood, energy, construction, real estate, mining, finance, telecommunications, and logistics.

A memorandum of understanding signed by CGEM and CNPM formally reactivated the Morocco-Mali Business Council. The body will serve as a permanent platform for dialogue between the private sectors of both countries. Its mission includes identifying investment opportunities, facilitating administrative procedures, connecting business partners, and submitting recommendations to improve the investment climate.

Moncef Ziani was appointed to lead the Moroccan section of the council, while Sory Ibrahima Maiga will head the Malian side.

A second cooperation agreement was signed between Morocco’s FENELEC and Mali’s FENEM to strengthen partnerships in the energy sector and encourage greater collaboration between companies.

Participants highlighted the importance of expanding intra-African trade, developing regional value chains, and supporting projects that create jobs and generate long-term economic value. Morocco’s Atlantic Initiative, launched by King Mohammed VI to provide Sahel countries with access to the Atlantic Ocean, was presented as a strategic project to improve regional connectivity and facilitate trade.

The forum also featured discussions on investment regulations and business opportunities in both markets. Representatives from API-Mali, APEX-Mali, AMDIE, MASEN, and the Morocco-Mali Business Council examined investment incentives and cooperation mechanisms before companies and institutions held business-to-business, business-to-government, and government-to-government meetings.

Trade between the two countries remains heavily in Morocco’s favor. Moroccan exports to Mali reached about $185 million in 2025, while imports from Mali totaled around $3 million. Malian authorities are therefore seeking greater Moroccan investment, technology transfer, and skills development to balance economic relations over the long term.

Moroccan companies already play a significant role in Mali’s economy. Maroc Telecom operates through Moov Africa Malitel, Bank of Africa is one of the country’s leading financial institutions, and OCP Group continues to support agricultural productivity through soil fertility programs.

The business forum forms part of a broader revival of bilateral cooperation. The Morocco-Mali Joint Cooperation Commission was established under an agreement signed in Rabat on September 17, 1987. Although its fourth session had been proposed during King Mohammed VI’s visit to Mali in 2014, the commission had remained inactive since its third meeting held in Rabat in June 2000.

Experts from both countries met on July 21 and 22 to prepare agreements covering trade, investment, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, mining, health, vocational training, and higher education. The final documents were submitted to the foreign ministers during the ministerial session on July 24.

The renewed economic partnership follows important political developments. Mali joined Burkina Faso and Niger in supporting Morocco’s Atlantic Initiative in 2025. In April 2026, Bamako also withdrew its recognition of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and expressed support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Sahara.