Rabat —The Belgian Embassy in Rabat hosted a gala event on Thursday to mark the 100th anniversary of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Morocco (CCBLM), celebrating a century of economic cooperation, dialogue, and shared ambition between Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and Morocco.
The centennial celebration, held in the gardens of the Belgian Ambassador’s residence in Souissi, brought together diplomats, business leaders, and officials to honor the Chamber’s long-standing role in fostering entrepreneurship, institutional cooperation, and human exchange among the three nations.
The centennial celebration, held in the gardens of the Belgian Ambassador’s residence in Souissi, brought together diplomats, business leaders, and officials
Gilles Heyvaert, Ambassador of Belgium to Morocco, and Atman Haloui, newly elected President of the CCBLM, welcomed guests and highlighted the Chamber’s mission to sustain a dynamic and forward-looking economic dialogue. “This centenary is more than a celebration—it is a renewed commitment to innovation, excellence, and trilateral collaboration for the future,” stated the press release shared with Morocco World News.
Founded in 1925, the CCBLM has grown into a recognized platform connecting Moroccan, Belgian, and Luxembourgish businesses. With over 250 member companies, the Chamber facilitates market access, supports business development, and promotes sustainable partnerships across sectors such as energy, logistics, industry, and digital innovation.
The centennial celebration, held in the gardens of the Belgian Ambassador’s residence in Souissi, brought together diplomats, business leaders, and officials
The gala, themed “A Century of Achievements and a Vision for the Future,” showcased the milestones of the past hundred years while emphasizing continued ambitions for collaboration and growth. The event was supported by Flanders Investment & Trade, hub.brussels, Wallonia Export-Investment Agency (AWEX), and Luxembourg Trade & Invest, reflecting the unity and dynamism of the trilateral economic partnership.
The centennial marks a symbolic milestone, reaffirming the Chamber’s role as a cornerstone of economic relations between Morocco, Belgium, and Luxembourg and setting the stage for future innovation and cooperation.
The centennial celebration, held in the gardens of the Belgian Ambassador’s residence in Souissi, brought together diplomats, business leaders, and officials
Morocco-Belgium relations
Morocco and Belgium’s diplomatic ties continue to expand exponentially, telling of a long-standing cooperation rooted in shared goals and close human connections.
The centennial celebration, held in the gardens of the Belgian Ambassador’s residence in Souissi, brought together diplomats, business leaders, and officials
During his official visit to Morocco earlier this year, former Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Quintin described bilateral relations as “the most exhaustive and diversified in the region.”
“Our respective people know better how Morocco and Belgium are historic allies. We undoubtedly have very strong human ties,” Quintin said during a joint press conference with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
The Moroccan community in Belgium, estimated at around 800,000 people, primarily based in Brussels, plays a crucial role in enriching Belgian society and promoting “diversity and intermingling,” according to Quintin.
The Belgian official also commended the “good cooperation” between the two countries in combating irregular migration and advancing collaboration in justice and police matters. “Belgium undoubtedly hopes to bolster this joint work in the future,” the Belgian FM added.
Trade relations between the two nations have also deepened. “We clearly have privileged economic ties with Morocco,” Quintin affirmed, noting that “Belgian exports of goods to Morocco amount around €1.3 billion up to October 2024, a growth of almost 15% compared to the same period in 2023.”
Calling this surge “very positive,” the Belgian diplomat reiterated his country’s intention to maintain this economic momentum. He added that Belgium, through its federated entities and enterprises, seeks to remain a key partner in Morocco’s economic and ecological transformation by contributing to large-scale national projects. Several thematic economic missions are already scheduled to take place in Morocco in 2025.
Western Sahara
Yesterday, Belgium officially endorsed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara, recognizing the region as part of Morocco’s sovereignty and national unity.
The position was announced through a joint declaration signed in Brussels by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Belgian counterpart Maxime Prévot.
Belgium confirmed it will act “from now on, on diplomatic and economic levels, in line with this position.”
While the European country had previously acknowledged the Moroccan initiative as “serious and credible,” the new declaration represents a more explicit and decisive alignment with Rabat’s stance.
In the statement, Belgium stressed its awareness of the “existential importance of the Sahara issue” for Morocco and recognized that the Autonomy Plan constitutes the “most appropriate, serious, credible, and realistic basis to achieve a political solution.”
Belgium’s stance now mirrors that of more than 120 countries that support Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces.
During the joint press conference, Bourita also urged Belgian companies to seize emerging investment opportunities in the region, pointing out Morocco’s ambition to make Western Sahara a hub for trade and development linking Africa and Europe.
He recalled that “Belgium currently ranks 13th among Morocco’s trade partners and 17th among investors,” a position he said could be significantly reinforced through greater private-sector engagement. An upcoming visit by a Belgian delegation, accompanied by business leaders and investors, is expected to further boost economic cooperation.
Bourita added that Morocco’s southern provinces could become a gateway for Belgium to enhance its commercial links with West and Central Africa. He cited renewable energy, infrastructure, industry, and green hydrogen as promising sectors for bilateral collaboration.
With Belgium’s clear stance on the Western Sahara dispute and its growing economic engagement, the two countries appear poised to deepen collaboration across politics, trade, and development, setting the stage for a stronger Euro-Maghreb alliance anchored in stability and shared prosperity.