Errachidia mayor joins global city talks in Ningbo

Mayor Said Karimi of Errachidia is among officials from 15 countries meeting in Ningbo, China, for the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue from Nov. 2-5. The gathering produced 14 cooperation projects, new city partnerships and a joint call for deeper industrial, cultural and people-to-people ties.

Why it matters: - The Ningbo meeting brings city leaders together to turn diplomacy into practical deals on trade, education, technology and tourism. - Errachidia’s participation adds a Morocco-China link to a forum focused on openness, connectivity and shared development. - The signed projects and new sister-city ties point to follow-on cooperation beyond the four-day event.

What happened: - Said Karimi, mayor of Errachidia, joined the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue · Ningbo in Zhejiang province from Nov. 2 to 5, 2026. - Officials from 15 countries attended, along with representatives of international organizations and companies. - Other participants included Wayne Brown of Auckland, Enrico Ricci of Florence, Ahmed Wazeery of Suez Governorate, Hosam Alkaweesh of Egypt’s local development and environment ministry, Aleksandar Kitanski of Pehčevo and Sebastian Kovacs of Wiener Neustadt. - The event ran under the theme “Openness and Connectivity for Shared Opportunities.” - The program included one main mayoral dialogue, two scenario dialogues and three cultural exchange activities.

The details: - Delegates visited Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, described as the world’s largest port by cargo throughput, as well as Ningbo Yaji Logistics, Ningbo PIA Automation Holding, Peacebird Group, Dongqian Lake and the Old Bund. - At the port and in workshops where embodied robots are produced, participants examined how cities can open further and where new opportunities may emerge. - At the main session, 14 cooperation projects were signed across friendly exchanges, economic and trade cooperation, science and technology, education, and cultural tourism. - Yuyao in Zhejiang and Errachidia established friendly exchange relations. - Yinzhou District of Ningbo and Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray in France also formed friendly exchange relations. - The Ningbo Consensus on Cooperative Development called on cities to stay open and connected, deepen industrial collaboration, strengthen people-to-people ties and keep industrial and supply chains stable and flowing. - The event also featured a seven-section exhibition, “Ningbo and the World,” on local companies taking Ningbo’s culture overseas. - At the Night of Ningbo, classic books selected by Ningbo and visiting cities were added to the collection of Tianyi Pavilion, built in 1561 and recognized as the oldest private library still standing in China. - Ningbo is an international gateway and advanced manufacturing base in eastern Zhejiang.

Between the lines: - The dialogue is designed as more than a ceremonial summit; the port visits, factory tours and project signings show a push to convert city-to-city networking into tangible economic and cultural links. - Joachim Moyse of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray framed the dialogue as a “round table for building a framework for peace,” tying local cooperation to broader stability. - Moyse said he wanted to take Ningbo’s approach to public service back to France and share it there.

What’s next: - The signed projects and new exchange relationships are expected to move into implementation after the meeting ends on Nov. 5. - The Ningbo Consensus sets a direction for follow-up work on industrial links, supply-chain resilience and people-to-people exchanges. - Cities involved in the dialogue are likely to use the event as a platform for future cooperation visits and agreements.

The bottom line: - Ningbo used the mayoral forum to pair global outreach with concrete city-level deals, and Errachidia was part of that push.