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# [MOROCCO / AFRICA] Casablanca Business Forum 2026: Rabat maps Africa's next economic chapter
- URL: https://businessoi.media/en/maroc-afrique-casablanca-business-forum-2026-rabat-trace-le-prochain-chapitre-economique-du-continent-en/
- Published: 2026-10-11T08:46:45.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-11T08:46:45.000Z
- Description: The 2026 Casablanca Business Forum brought together 300 companies from 70 countries to debate economic sovereignty, AfCFTA and capital flows. Nobel laureate Aghion headlined the event on 2 October.
- Author: Emmanuel TAOCHY
- Tags: Afrique, Économie, Investissement, Flash de mi-journée, #en

**Casablanca Finance City (CFC)** hosted the 2nd edition of the **Casablanca Business Forum** on **2 October 2026**, under the theme *« Africa's Next Economic Chapter »*. Nearly **300 companies active across Africa**, representing **70 nationalities** and operating in **53 African countries**, gathered to map out the next decade of continental economic development.

## Nobel Laureate Aghion headlines the forum

Professor **Philippe Aghion**, winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics, opened the debate by exploring the **drivers of productivity and competitiveness** linked to technological transformation. The economist argued that Africa holds a structural advantage — a young demographic and rapid mobile technology adoption — to position itself at the forefront of the next industrial revolution.

## Five strategic pillars

Discussions revolved around five major themes:

- **Economic sovereignty**: reducing dependence on unprocessed raw material exports.
- **Global competition for capital**: attracting institutional investors in a high interest-rate environment.
- **International economic governance**: reforming global financial institutions to better represent Africa.
- **Regional integration**: accelerating implementation of the **African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)**.
- **Talent mobilisation**: retaining local skills and attracting diaspora expertise.

## A top-tier lineup of decision-makers

Speakers included **Corinne Amori Brunet**, Benin's Foreign Affairs Minister; **Lionel Zinsou**, former Prime Minister of Benin; **Mehdi Tazi Riffi**, CEO of Tanger Med — Africa's largest port by capacity; and **Alain Ebobissé**, President of Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure fund. The presence of **Andreas Schleicher**, OECD Director for Education and Skills, highlighted skills development as a key growth lever.

## Why it matters

In just two editions, the Casablanca Business Forum has established itself as a reference platform for Africa's economic decision-makers. For Indian Ocean stakeholders — Mauritian investors, Réunionnais operators, Malagasy and Comorian entrepreneurs — the AfCFTA and capital attraction themes represent concrete opportunities to seize in the coming decade. Casablanca is cementing its position as Africa's leading financial hub.

*Source: Casablanca Finance City / EcoActu.ma — October 2026*