During this period, the 16th edition of the Moroccan International Agricultural Show, (SIAM) 2024, the largest agricultural event in Africa and the Middle East, is being held in Meknes, but Ambassador Maria Ciobanu sabotaged our country’s participation in a incredible way.
The largest agricultural show in Africa and the Middle East is being held in Meknes, Morocco, from April 22-28, 2024. This event is organized this year on an area of over 18.5 ha and 1,600 exhibitors from 70 countries, from four continents, are participating, with an estimated presence of over 1,000,000 visitors. From 2012 until this year, with the exception of the 2020-2022 pandemic period, our country has permanently participated in this event, and the organization was handled by the Department of Foreign Trade, through the commercial office in Tangier-Morocco. But, surprisingly, the organization of our country’s participation in this year’s event was handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Romanian Embassy in Morocco. However, our country’s participation in this event was a fiasco, because of Ambassador Maria Ciobanu, who organized Romania’s participation in SIAM 2024 under any criticism.
Organizational fiasco directed by ambassador Maria Ciobanu
At the beginning of March 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs found that, due to the very high participation costs, there were not many confirmations of participation in SIAM 2024 and thus the two pre-booked spaces of 168 sqm and 200 sqm, by the Romanian Embassy in Rabat. As such, it was decided that Romania will participate in this agricultural show in a free space of 36 square meters made available by the organizers in the International Pole at SIAM 2024. All good and beautiful, especially since, in the end, and- about 15 businessmen and representatives of employers from Romania also announced their presence. But, on the day of the opening of the event, i.e. on April 22, 2024, the ordeal began for the Romanian participants at SIAM 2024.
Due to the bad organization made by the ambassador Maria Ciobanu, all the participants were forced to wait four to six hours to receive the participation accreditation. Even one was hurt and required medical attention. Moreover, according to the ambassador, the participants were not allowed access to the salon with samples, although the organizers did not forbid such a thing. As such, there were no samples of agricultural products in the free stand made available to our country, although one of the Romanian participants traveled 4,000 km in a minibus to exhibit his products at SIAM 2024. Also, there was no poster with our country’s participation in, attention, the largest agricultural event in Africa and the Middle East.
Romania’s stand at SIAM 2024 was empty for four days
Colac over pupăză, although the fair is organized until today, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in the last four days, i.e. from April 25, 2024, no one from the Romanian Embassy was present at SIAM 2024. Practically, the country’s stand was empty ( see PHOTO), although countries receiving free spaces at SIAM 2024 are required to be present at the stand until the end of the event. Basically, Ambassador Maria Ciobanu showed up on the first day, took some pictures, posted them on Facebook and disappeared. But, nevertheless, before turning her back on the Romanian participants, she took care to convey that most of the samples brought from the country must reach the embassy, that, well…I’m the boss here!
The businessmen and representatives of employers who were present at SIAM 2024 left outraged by the aggressive behavior of Ambassador Maria Ciobanu, but especially by the lack of involvement of the Romanian Embassy in Rabat. This sabotage of the fair, controlled by the ambassador Maria Ciobanu, is quite incredible, if we take into account the fact that Morocco is Romania’s main economic partner in Africa and the Middle East.
