The Moroccan Ministry of Justice, in partnership with the National Business Environment Committee and the German Agency for International Cooperation, organized a high-level national conference on “Commercial Arbitration as a Guarantee for Improving Business Climate and Attracting Investment” on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Casablanca.
The conference was inaugurated by the Minister of Justice, Mr. Abdellatif Wahbi, in the presence of prominent figures from both public and private sectors, including the Delegate President of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, representatives from the German Embassy, the Competition Council, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, and the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises.
The conference aimed to highlight the new legal framework for arbitration in Morocco, in accordance with Law 95.17 on arbitration and mediation, and to exchange experiences on best practices in commercial arbitration.
In his opening speech, Minister Wahbi emphasized the importance of arbitration as a complement to the judiciary, especially in the commercial field which requires speedy procedures. He stressed the need to regulate the arbitration profession to ensure its effectiveness, pointing to efforts made in this direction, including the preparation of a decree to organize the list of arbitrators.
The Minister added that the Ministry is working to achieve a balance between preventing monopoly of the profession and ensuring its quality, while continuing to work on organizing national arbitration bodies and developing a code of ethics for the profession.
Wahbi concluded his speech by affirming that the main challenge lies in creating a climate that encourages business and investment, calling for concerted efforts from all concerned parties to achieve this goal.
This conference reflects Morocco’s interest in developing alternative mechanisms for resolving commercial disputes, which may contribute to improving the business climate and attracting more foreign investment to the kingdom.
The event brought together representatives from government sectors, public institutions, private sector stakeholders, professional sectors, experts, foreign ambassadors, and representatives of international organizations accredited to the Kingdom of Morocco. It serves as a platform for discussing the role of commercial arbitration in enhancing Morocco’s economic landscape and its appeal to international investors.