Review of the 7th Marrakech Air Show

Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Marrakech Air Show 2024, organised jointly by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the National Defence Administration and MEDZ, a subsidiary of the CDG Group, closed its doors on 02 November, at the end of 4 packed days.

Participation of world-renowned leaders and experts

This year, MAS welcomed a large number of professionals and delegations to an exhibition area of 12,500m². A total of 194 exhibitors were present, including some of the biggest names in the aerospace and defence industry, such as Airbus, the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), Embraer, the Emirates Defense Companies Council (EDCC), Heliconia, Lockheed Martin, Safran, Thalès and Tata Advanced Systems. The show also saw the participation of 50 delegations representing various countries.

The 7th edition was marked by the participation of the United Arab Emirates as the country of honour. Covering an area of more than 800 m2, a number of major UAE companies exhibited their products and latest innovations.

A show marked by the signing of several partnership agreements in the sector

Opened with official speeches and testimonies from the CEOs of the major aeronautical groups based in Morocco, the Show was an opportunity to recall the extraordinary development of this industry thanks to the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed. In 10 years, the Kingdom has doubled the number of companies operating in the country to 151 by 2024, employing 24,000 people. The aeronautics industry alone generates 2 billion dirhams in export sales every month, and in 2024 will be the fastest-growing export sector in Morocco, with growth of 23%.

These exceptional results confirm the competitiveness of the Moroccan platform, which continues to attract new investment. A number of agreements were signed at the 2024 edition of the show, including the creation of an advanced manufacturing research centre in partnership with Boeing, called the African Centre of Manufacturing Excellence (ACME). A memorandum of understanding for the launch of joint projects, notably in commercial aviation, defence and urban mobility, was also signed with Embraer in the presence of its CEO, marking an important step in the development of the Moroccan aeronautics industry's supply chain and the expansion of the local industrial ecosystem.

Other memorandums of understanding were signed between the Moroccan government and leading companies such as Structural Aerospace Morocco, MASTERFLEX SE, TRELLEBORG and Composite Industrie Maroc.

Spotlight on human capital and innovation

This year's MAS highlighted the importance of human capital and training for the future of the aerospace sector, with around a hundred students from various Moroccan engineering schools and universities taking part. These exchanges highlighted the crucial role of continuing education and qualified human resources in the development and growth of the industry while promoting local talent.

At the same time, there was a strong focus on innovation at this year's show, with almost 500m2 dedicated to start-ups and research projects, providing an ideal platform for young companies to showcase their innovative solutions.

The Marrakech Air Show (MAS) was thus a major platform for highlighting the successes of the Moroccan training system and the ongoing skills development of the country's aeronautics industry. The show also provided a unique platform for promoting locally-trained talent, offering new development prospects for both companies and young people, and attracting new investment to the sector.

The Show opened its doors to the general public

The curtain fell on the 7th Marrakech Air Show on Saturday 02 November. On this final day, the general public had the opportunity to discover the static display of aircraft and military equipment, as well as to attend an air show that brightened up the skies over Marrakech for two hours. Nearly 20,000 visitors came to the show on this day.