The President of the Banque Centrale Populaire du Maroc (BCP) group, Mr. Mohamed Karim MOUNIR, has been elevated to the rank of Commander of the National Order of Côte d'Ivoire.

This distinction is presented on behalf of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Alassane OUATTARA for the services rendered in a personal capacity and as President of the BCP group. It reflects the recognition of the Ivorian nation and highlights the continuous action of the BCP and Mr. Mohamed Karim MOUNIR in favor of major development projects as well as financial inclusion policies.

These honors were made to him with the presentation of the medal by Mr. Adama COULIBALY, Minister of Economy and Finance in the presence of Mr. Souleymane DIARRASOUBA, Minister of Trade and Industry, and Yacouba KONATE, Secretary General of the Grand Chancellery of the National Order, and H.E. the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Côte d'Ivoire, Mr Abdelmalek KETTANI.

 
"Thank you to the BCP group and its first leader, Mr. Mohamed Karim MOUNIR, for the active part they take in the configuration of a modern, contemporary and attractive Côte d'Ivoire," said Yacouba KONATE, Secretary General of the Grand Chancellery of the National Order, representing the Grand Chancellor.

During his speech, the President of the BCP Group expressed his gratitude to the Grand Chancellor, and through her to the President of the Republic, for this prestigious distinction which, according to him, reflects the full depth of historical and fraternal relations between the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and the Kingdom of Morocco, desired and maintained by His Excellency President Alassane OUATTARA and by His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

In addition, Mr. Mohamed Karim MOUNIR recalled that the BCP group, a major player in Morocco's financial landscape, serves some 7 million customers around the world, including more than one million Moroccan and African expatriates south of the Sahara. The Group is now present on four continents and in 32 countries, and actively participates in financial inclusion policies for the least advantaged populations.

 
In addition, Mr. Mohamed Karim MOUNIR also wished to highlight the prominent place occupied by Côte d'Ivoire in the Group's overall portfolio. Over the period 2012 to 2019, the Group financed 800 billion FCFA (13 billion DH) of State development projects and its divisions in various strategic sectors (education, road infrastructure, water supplies, energy , etc.).

The Group has also mobilized about 1,600 billion FCFA (nearly 26 billion DH) through subscriptions to various bonds and Ivorian treasury bills. It actively participates in the financing of the Ivorian economy through its subsidiary Banque Atlantique, which was named "Best Bank in Côte d'Ivoire" in 2018. This award illustrates Banque Atlantique's commitment to offering tailor-made, competitive and innovative solutions to SMEs. In 2019, outstanding loans to the economy amounted to 879 billion CFA francs (more than 14 billion dirhams) including 694 billion CFA francs (more than 11 billion dirhams) to companies with more than 70 billion CFA francs (1.1 billion dirhams) granted to SMEs. Part of this envelope has been allocated to support projects led by women and young people in the most significant economic sectors, allowing Banque Atlantique to distinguish itself as an important player in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The ceremony took place at the Grand Chancellery of the National Order of Côte d'Ivoire in Abidjan, in front of an audience of 150 guests as well as Directors and members of the Group's management, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Atlantic Business International, Mr. Dossongui KONE, and the Managing Director of Atlantic Business International, Mr. Habib KONE.

On the sidelines of this ceremony, the President of the BCP Group met with several important partners and customers and travelled to Yamoussoukro, the administrative capital of Côte d'Ivoire, where he visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, the residence of the founder of the Ivorian nation the late President Félix Houphouët-Boigny and was received at the Institut National Polytechnique Houphouët-Boigny, recognized as a center of excellence of the sub-region in technological training.

ABOUT BCP GROUP: Banque Centrale Populaire Group is one of Morocco's leading banking institutions. It draws its strength from its values of solidarity and its unique organization in Morocco. It is composed of 8 Regional Popular Banks (BPR) with a cooperative vocation, the Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP), the Group's central body, a public limited company listed on the stock exchange, specialized subsidiaries, foundations and banks and representations abroad. The Banque Populaire Group is present in 32 countries around the world. In Morocco, it is the leading collector of savings (26% of PdM) and leader in the financing of the economy (24% of PdM).