Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him .. AZIAN BUSINESS FORUM 2025 explores industrial and logistics synergies for sustainable growth

The Association of the Aïn Sebaâ – Hay Mohammadi Industrial Zone (AZIAN) is organizing the 4th edition of the AZIAN BUSINESS FORUM, on May 21, 2025, at the Hôtel Le Grand Mogador in Casablanca, under the theme: “Logistics and industrial zones: a strategic synergy in service of economic development and employment.”

As a continuation of what has now become an annual event, this new edition reflects AZIAN’s ambition to make the forum a space for reflection and concrete proposals, bringing together all stakeholders from the economic, institutional, and industrial ecosystem. More than 400 participants took part in this edition, demonstrating the growing interest in the challenges related to the Kingdom’s industrial and logistics development.

The day was marked by strong institutional mobilization, with the participation of Mr. Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, Mr. Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade, Mr. Abdellatif Maâzouz, President of the Regional Council, Ghassane El Machrafi, Director General of the Moroccan Agency for Logistics Development, and Ms. Ghita Lahlou, Vice President of CGEM.

Present at the opening of the forum, Mr. Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, emphasized the need to align public employment policies with local industrial dynamics. He also highlighted the structural reforms initiated by the government to modernize the labor market and strengthen youth integration. “It is essential to strengthen the bridges between historic industrial ecosystems and public employment policies. The government’s roadmap for employment and investment mobilizes all stakeholders to promote the integration of young people, whether graduates or not. We will also launch, in collaboration with social partners, a major initiative to revise

the Labor Code, which is a key lever for competitiveness and social justice,” stated Mr. Sekkouri.

Mohammed Fikrat, President of AZIAN, emphasized in his opening speech the symbolic and strategic importance of the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, praised as a powerful lever for collective mobilization. He recalled that the AZIAN BUSINESS FORUM has, over the editions, become much more than an annual meeting: a platform for exchange, consultation, and action, driven by collective intelligence and on-the-ground realities. He stressed the importance of bringing out concrete ideas, highlighting local experiences, and strengthening synergies between industrial players, institutions, and public stakeholders. “The Forum is a forward-looking platform for proposals, in service of the industrial progress of our region and our country,” he said, expressing his thanks to all the partners supporting AZIAN.

On the sidelines of the event, three partnership agreements were signed, illustrating AZIAN’s commitment to strengthening economic and social synergies within the industrial zone. A first agreement, concluded with INGELEC, provides preferential commercial terms and personalized technical support for member companies. A second partnership, signed with GMHD, will allow members to benefit from advantageous rates on a wide range of equipment and services. Lastly, an agreement with Neo School aims to facilitate access to quality education for the children of employees of AZIAN member companies.

The 2025 edition highlighted the strategic issues related to the interconnection and complementarity between logistics zones and industrial zones, through two high-level roundtables and a particularly inspiring keynote. Mr. Moncef Belkhayat, President of H&S Invest Holding, gave a particularly notable presentation on the challenges of territorial competitiveness and transformation levers.

The discussions focused on the reconfiguration of industrial areas in light of new logistical expectations, sustainability challenges, access to land, continuing education, and optimization of flows. Business leaders, public officials, and representatives of regional development agencies exchanged views and shared their experiences to identify concrete solutions.

Mohammed Fikrat, President of AZIAN, in his closing remarks, praised “the quality of the discussions, the collective commitment of the participants, and the shared desire to design a new model of industrial development based on logistics integration, territorial inclusion, and sustainability.” He also reaffirmed the association’s ambition to make this forum an accelerator of inter-institutional cooperation and a catalyst for concrete initiatives in support of the national productive fabric.

This 4th edition also served to highlight the trajectory of the Aïn Sebaâ – Hay Mohammadi Industrial Zone, with its 100-year history, which today hosts more than 500 companies active in around thirty sectors and generates more than 38,000 direct jobs. A true economic engine of Casablanca, the zone plays a central role in the country’s industrial, food, energy, and pharmaceutical sovereignty.

In 2024, the 3rd edition of the forum, held for the first time under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, marked a decisive turning point. Gathering more than 350 participants, it confirmed the AZIAN BUSINESS FORUM’s role as a national reference platform for dialogue on the Kingdom’s industrial challenges.

About the Aïn Sebaâ – Hay Mohammadi Industrial Zone

Founded 100 years ago, the Aïn Sebaâ – Hay Mohammadi Industrial Zone is the oldest industrial zone in the Kingdom. Spanning 435 hectares, it is home to over 500 companies operating in more than 30 sectors — including agribusiness, the pharmaceutical industry, and energy — and generates over 38,000 direct jobs. Several of these companies supply the Moroccan population with essential goods and thus actively contribute to Morocco’s food, health, energy, and industrial sovereignty.

About AZIAN

A non-profit association, the Association of the Aïn Sebaâ – Hay Mohammadi Industrial Zone (AZIAN) was established in 2016 to reinvigorate development and represent all economic stakeholders in Morocco’s oldest industrial zone. AZIAN’s mission is to make the zone more competitive, more value-creating, and more prosperous for its members and their stakeholders. It aims to contribute to the development of the zone, pool resources and actions to promote it, and support renovation and infrastructure modernization projects.

Contact

press@dabuzzconsulting.com meryem.elbarhrassi@gmail.com Manal: +212 6 95 39 75 73 Meryem: +212 6 54 62 57 38