The Founder and President of EMEA, Prof. Rym Ayadi, Director of EMANES and CEPS Senior Advisor, was one of the distinguished speakers at the Victoria Forum Casablanca Round, titled “A Better Africa for All: Building Trust and Empowering People.” The event took place in Casablanca, Morocco, on February 17, 2025, and was co-organized by the Victoria Forum and ESCA École de Management, Morocco.
The forum convened distinguished leaders from various fields to address some of Africa’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. Discussions centered on empowering youth, addressing geopolitical challenges, tackling climate change, and reducing health disparities. This marked the first time that the Victoria Forum hosted a roundtable in Africa.
Prof. Ayadi participated in the session titled “Navigating Africa’s Geopolitical and Socio-Economic Complexities”, alongside Dr. Moubarack Lo, President of the Emergence Institute, Senior Fellow at PCNS, and EMEA Advisor, and Dr. Mokhtar Ghambou, President of the Atlantic Foundation. The session was moderated by Prof. Ahmed Iraqi, Professor and Researcher at ESCA École de Management.
In her intervention Prof. Ayadi underlined “The true wealth of a nation is not in extracting natural resources, but in harnessing the minds of its people. Africa’s future lies in its ability to cultivate youth brain capital—fostering education, innovation, and cognitive well-being to drive sustainable growth and global competitiveness.”
Founded in 2017, the Victoria Forum serves as a convenor for academics, policymakers, industry leaders, and societal change-makers to address global challenges. Building on the Canadian narrative for dealing with differences, the Forum brings together regional, national and international change-makers with different identities, perspectives and expertise but committing to that ‘We will make a shared home, together’.
The Victoria Forum is a partner of EMEA, and the two organizations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance global outreach and collaboration within the Euro-Mediterranean and African ecosystems. Their partnership aims to advance expert knowledge and support inclusive social and economic development. Furthermore, Dr. Adel Guitouni, Director of Programs at the Victoria Forum, is a member of the EMEA Expert Panel.
