Casablanca – Decarbonization as a lever for sustainable growth was at the center of discussions during a meeting held Tuesday in Casablanca between the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) and the France-Morocco Business Leaders Club.

The meeting, which was attended by the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, was an opportunity to assess the process of carbon reduction undertaken by both Morocco and France in the light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It also reviewed the reforms and pioneering initiatives adopted by Morocco as part of its strategy for sustainable development, particularly the National Climate Plan, and highlighted the green investment opportunities available to entrepreneurs to ensure an inclusive transition by 2030.

“Decarbonization is a priority topic of the reform of the energy sector, given the soaring prices of raw materials and its direct and indirect impact on the domestic economy,” Benali told MAP.

Speaking at this event through videoconferencing, Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, highlighted the initiatives launched by Morocco for industrial decarbonization.

He noted that his department is willing to support decarbonization initiatives and projects in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) via the support program ‘Tatwir Croissance Verte’ (green growth development).

For his part, CGEM President Chakib Alj said that the challenges of decarbonization offer “a great opportunity for the growth of our companies and our economy in general.”

“By decarbonizing, we win in more ways,” he said, explaining that low-carbon economy contributes to combating climate change, lowering the costs of production factors and reducing Morocco’s dependence on energy.

This meeting was organized by the CGEM in partnership with the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) International, the France-Morocco Business Leaders Club, the Zenata Ecocity, the Suez Environment Group and CIH Bank.