In Marrakech, Morocco has once again demonstrated its growing strategic influence in Africa’s economic transformation by hosting a high-level meeting bringing together African ministers and senior government officials responsible for agriculture and trade, on the occasion of the launch of a regional program dedicated to developing Africa’s coffee value chain.
Organized by African Coffee Hub in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, this initiative marks a significant shift in Africa’s economic vision, aiming not merely to export raw coffee beans, but to build an integrated continental ecosystem capable of capturing value at every stage of the supply chain—from production and aggregation to processing, standardization, branding, and global distribution.
At the center of this new economic architecture stands Morocco, leveraging its strategic geographic position and world-class logistics infrastructure led by Tanger Med, one of the most powerful maritime and trade hubs connecting Africa to Europe, the Americas, and international markets.
Under this ambitious project, Morocco is no longer seen simply as a transit platform, but as a key operational and industrial partner capable of aggregating African coffee production, improving product quality according to international standards, harmonizing supply chains, and accelerating market access for African producers worldwide.
Representatives of African Coffee Hub emphasized that for decades Africa has remained one of the world’s major coffee producers, while most of the real economic value—through transformation, blending, packaging, logistics, and retail distribution—has largely been created outside the continent. This new initiative seeks to reverse that historical model and establish a more autonomous, value-driven African coffee economy.
Officials from the Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic Organization for Food Security also highlighted the social dimension of the project, underlining its potential to empower rural communities, support women farmers, create employment opportunities for young people, and strengthen long-term agricultural resilience across Africa.
As global supply chains continue to evolve and international trade undergoes major transformations, Morocco appears increasingly positioned to play a leading role in shaping Africa’s next economic chapter—one where value creation remains within the continent, and where Tanger Med serves as one of its most powerful strategic gateways.
