Morocco, EU Partner to Support Gaming Industry

Casablanca — Morocco and the European Union have signed a new support agreement for the development of the country’s gaming industry, with the country pledging to continue working toward building a stronger national ecosystem by 2030.

The agreement was signed in Rabat on May 26, on the sidelines of the Morocco Gaming Expo. Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, and Dimiter Tzantchev, Ambassador of the European Union to Morocco, chaired the signing ceremony.

The EU support is tied to Morocco’s 2030 strategy for the gaming industry. The strategy aims to structure a competitive ecosystem, create skilled jobs, and attract international investment.

Morocco is presenting itself as an emerging player in gaming in Africa and the MENA region, helped by a young and connected population.

The support will cover three main areas. The first is training. It will help strengthen university programs and vocational training in gaming-related professions, with courses aligned with international standards. The goal is to respond to the sector’s growing need for qualified skills and create new job opportunities for young Moroccans.

The second area concerns market structuring. Studies and analyses will be carried out to better identify the opportunities and challenges facing Moroccan companies in the sector. These studies are expected to help guide actions needed for the growth of the national gaming industry.

Read also: Morocco, EU Sign Three New Projects to Boost Creative Industries

The third area focuses on building stronger links between Moroccan and European gaming ecosystems. B2B missions and exchanges between professionals are planned to encourage partnerships and collaboration with local talents trained in the latest technologies.

Bensaid said the agreement with the EU aims to strengthen Morocco’s integration into the European economic ecosystem, noting that several EU countries are among the world leaders in gaming. He said the partnership will help Moroccan small and medium-sized enterprises enter the European market, while giving Moroccan entrepreneurs access to mechanisms and tools to support their projects in Morocco and abroad.

He also said the support gives special attention to cultural and creative industries, through stronger support systems for companies investing in the sector, following previous agreements signed with the EU.

Tzantchev said gaming is now a fast-growing industry and that the EU is supporting Morocco’s effort to develop an ecosystem open to international markets. He noted the support is part of the Pact for the Mediterranean, which seeks to strengthen ties between both shores around opportunities for young people, innovation, and shared value creation.

The signing also completes the Support Program for Cultural and Creative Industries, launched in 2023 with a total budget of €10 million.

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