In a major step forward for South-South cooperation, representatives from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Kingdom of Morocco have concluded a week of targeted economic discussions, paving the way for strengthened bilateral trade, investment, and cross-sector collaboration across two geographically distinct regions.
Held from June 22 to 26, 2026, the OECS-Morocco Economic Promotion Week was hosted and organized by Morocco’s Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI), with institutional support from the OECS Commission. The initiative was designed to unlock untapped collaborative opportunities between Morocco and the 11-member OECS bloc, aligning with regional development priorities and advancing projects that promise tangible social and economic benefits for communities across the Eastern Caribbean. Six OECS member states took part in the talks: the Commonwealth of Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The delegations brought together a broad cross-section of stakeholders, spanning government economic and trade ministries, national investment promotion agencies, national chambers of commerce, and private sector industry groups. Participating institutions included the Invest Dominica Authority, the Antigua and Barbuda Investment Authority, Grenada Investment Development Corporation, Nevis Investment Promotion Agency, Invest Saint Lucia, Invest SVG, Saint Kitts and Nevis’ Ministry of International Trade and Ministry of Economic Development and Investment, the Private Sector Unit of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce. The delegation also included senior representatives from the OECS Commission, the OECS Business Council, and officials from the Eastern Caribbean States Embassies based in Morocco.
His Excellency Ian Queeley, Ambassador and Head of Mission of the Eastern Caribbean States Embassies to Morocco, emphasized that the week-long engagement reinforced the deep alignment between both regions on goals for shared, sustainable development. “This Economic Promotion Week has reaffirmed that the relationship between the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and the Kingdom of Morocco is one built not only on friendship, but on shared aspirations for sustainable economic growth, innovation, investment, and South-South cooperation,” Queeley said. “Through productive dialogue and meaningful exchanges, we have showcased the immense opportunities that exist between our regions and laid the foundation for stronger commercial partnerships.”
Queeley added that the OECS remains dedicated to advancing deepened economic diplomacy, linking business owners, investors, and public institutions from the Eastern Caribbean with strategic Moroccan partners. “We look forward to translating the momentum generated this week into tangible outcomes that create jobs, expand trade, and promote inclusive prosperity for the peoples of both the Eastern Caribbean and Morocco,” he said.
During the week of engagement, participating delegates held closed-door and open discussions with Moroccan public and private sector leaders across 12 high-priority sectors, including agriculture, agro-processing, food security, renewable energy, fisheries, the blue economy, financial services, port infrastructure development, maritime trade, air transport connectivity, and tourism. Talks also centered on collaborative solutions to shared challenges, including building greater agricultural resilience to climate shocks, expanding development of geothermal and solar energy projects, strengthening bilateral tourism links, and deepening broader economic integration between the Caribbean and African continents.
Delegates also explored a range of structural collaborative frameworks, including closer correspondent banking relationships, expanded direct business-to-business networking and partnerships, the potential establishment of a permanent OECS–Morocco Business Council, and the benefits of Moroccan investment access through Casablanca Finance City, one of Africa’s leading financial hubs. Opportunities for Moroccan direct investment in key OECS priority development sectors were also a key topic of conversation.
Over the course of the event, delegates held formal meetings with more than a dozen leading Moroccan institutions, including AMCI, the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Moroccan Agency for the Development of Investments and Exports, Casablanca Finance City, the Professional Group of Banks of Morocco, OCP Africa, the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, the Regional Council of Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, the Regional Investment Centre, and the Port of Dakhla.
A scheduled site visit to Dakhla allowed delegates to see first-hand Morocco’s ambitious southern regional development strategy, and examine the growing role of the Dakhla Atlantic Port in boosting transatlantic trade between Africa, the Americas, and Europe. The visit also identified new opportunities for collaboration on maritime infrastructure development and ocean economy cooperation between Morocco and OECS member states.
Following the conclusion of Economic Promotion Week, the Eastern Caribbean States Embassies in Morocco issued a statement praising the high level of engagement from both Moroccan institutional stakeholders and OECS delegations. The statement noted that the productive talks have generated significant positive momentum that will now be carried forward into targeted follow-up initiatives and formal collaborative projects in the coming months.