The Moroccan capital transformed into a global diplomatic hub from October 1 to 4, 2025, as it hosted the 40th edition of the Crans-Montana Forum.
Celebrating four decades of international dialogue, the forum convened political leaders, business executives, and researchers from four continents to explore strategic cooperation across the wider Atlantic.
Under the banner of “rethought international cooperation,” the forum highlighted Rabat’s ambition to position the Atlantic not merely as a maritime boundary, but as a space of convergence linking Africa, Europe, the Americas, and the Mediterranean.
Key discussions focused on energy and digital transitions, food security, migration, and the restructuring of global economic chains.
Jean-Paul Carteron, the forum’s founding president, underscored Morocco’s strategic role as a crossroads for Atlantic trade.
“When you look at what’s happening in the world, you see the Atlantic. It’s an open and peaceful sea.
There are cards to play to maximize the export potential of strategic African raw materials,” he said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo featured prominently with a dedicated session titled “DRC 2030,” showcasing its mining, energy, and industrial potential, and highlighting its quest for economic sovereignty.
Eliane Mukeba, founder of the Shining Nyota association, described the Congolese participation as evidence of Africa’s commitment to sustainable integration into Atlantic cooperation frameworks.
A major innovation of this edition was the launch of the Atlantic Regions Club, designed to encourage pragmatic, territory-based diplomacy. The initiative aims to engage local and regional actors in concrete projects spanning infrastructure, digital connectivity, and energy transition, moving beyond traditional state-centric approaches.
The United Arab Emirates reinforced the forum’s global reach with a significant delegation, reflecting the event’s growing influence.
Macdonald Saye Goanue, director of the Research and Strategic Planning Department in Liberia, highlighted the forum’s evolution: “Forty years after its creation, the Crans-Montana Forum is establishing itself more than ever as a platform of influence where global diplomacy is being reinvented – from Rabat, which became, for a few days, the beating heart of an Atlantic of cooperation.”
The 2025 forum confirmed Morocco’s emerging role as a diplomatic and economic bridge across the Atlantic, underscoring its commitment to fostering collaboration between continents and shaping the future of global strategic alliances.
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