CFC and Sandyford Aim to Create a Corridor Between Ireland and Africa
Economy
The rapprochement between Casablanca Finance City and the Sandyford Business District marks a new chapter in economic relations between Morocco and Ireland.
At a conference in Dublin, Ger Corbett, CEO of SBD, stated that this partnership is poised for growth, highlighting CFC's role as a financial hub in Africa and a platform for connecting with the continent's markets.
Corbett emphasized that SBD and CFC share similar development strategies, based on attractiveness, innovation, and international openness.
He presented Casablanca Finance City as a dynamic community bringing together multinationals, financial institutions, and actors engaged in high-value-added services.
The partnership covers various sectors, including fintech.
The two parties intend to share their practices and expertise in financial technologies, a sector expected to play an increasingly significant role in transforming financial services.
Corbett also mentioned the common ability of the two centers to attract financial institutions and shared service centers.
For Corbett, the alliance between Casablanca and Sandyford sends a signal to multinationals seeking new locations.
He sees a common front between two ecosystems capable of supporting businesses in their development between Europe and Africa.
The SBD CEO recalled that the agreement concluded in April 2025 laid the groundwork for a strategic partnership between two financial centers advancing in the global financial architecture.
He was also impressed by Morocco's development vision, citing innovation, education, infrastructure, and financial services.
This vision, according to him, reinforces the Kingdom's position as a major economic actor.
The SBD, which comprises over 1,000 companies and 26,000 professionals, is one of Ireland's main economic hubs, specializing in technology, finance, and innovation.
The Dublin conference also gave the floor to several Irish economic operators.
Pierce Dargan, CEO of Equine MediRecord, called on Irish companies to consider the opportunities offered by Morocco more closely.
His group has recently established a presence in the Kingdom, describing it as a market with sustained growth and attractive investment opportunities.
Organized by the Moroccan Agency for the Development of Investments and Exports, in partnership with the Moroccan Embassy in Ireland and the SBD, the meeting sparked the interest of the local business community.
Several Irish operators expressed their attention to the Moroccan economic offer, particularly in the industry, agritech, renewable energies, automotive, and aerospace sectors.
The Moroccan economic mission in Ireland aims to strengthen bridges between the business ecosystems of the two countries.
It highlights the investment opportunities offered by the Kingdom and seeks to take Moroccan-Irish cooperation to a more structured level.
Following Dublin, a similar meeting is scheduled for Friday in Cork, Ireland's second-largest city and a major economic hub.
The region hosts a significant concentration of multinationals, particularly in the pharmaceutical, technological, and agro-food sectors, with the presence of major international groups such as Apple.