This meeting, which falls within the framework of the participatory approach launched by the Secretariat of State in charge of Foreign Trade, aimed to broaden the discussion with local economic actors, with a view to presenting concrete proposals that contribute to developing an action plan with realistic measures for the 2025-2026 foreign trade roadmap.
In a speech on the occasion, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry and Trade in charge of Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira, highlighted the significant untapped export potential in Morocco, estimated at 120 billion dirhams, including 12 billion dirhams on the African continent, noting that the Ministry has identified 60 investment projects on the African continent aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of Moroccan companies exporting to this market.
Mr. Hejira said that the goal of this consultative meeting in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region is to explore ways to develop and stimulate regional exports, enhance their specificities, increase their competitiveness, and access new markets, which would qualify them to play leading economic roles in North Africa.
In this regard, he reviewed the significant potential of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, which has an integrated industrial ecosystem that will enable it to develop a competitive industry and boost its regional exports.
The Secretary of State explained, in this context, that the region has 22 industrial zones, including 4 industrial acceleration zones covering an area of more than 1050 hectares, namely the Atlantic Free Zone, Technopolis, the Ain Johra zone, and the Bouknadel industrial zone, in addition to a network of integrated infrastructure that could give a new impetus to strengthening export capacity.
The government official pointed out that the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region is positioned as the third largest exporting region in the Kingdom, after the Casablanca-Settat and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima regions, with a turnover for its industrial exports of approximately 44.7 billion dirhams, adding that it is the second region in terms of logistics and industrial zones and business creation in Morocco (54,000 companies in Morocco).
For his part, the Wali of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, Mohamed Yacoubi, affirmed that Morocco, under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has taken giant steps at the economic level in recent years.
He added that this meeting was an opportunity for all economic and institutional actors to present their proposals to contribute to the preparation of the foreign trade roadmap in line with the advanced regionalization project, as well as the implementation of sectoral policies at the regional level.
For his part, the President of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Regional Council, Rachid El Abdi, highlighted that the region aspires to implement the participatory approach of advanced regionalization properly, by highlighting pioneering experiences in the field, which would enable the region to establish itself as a key hub for investment, logistics, and international trade.
He highlighted that the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region has become a "very attractive" area thanks to the assets it possesses, especially its coastal front, where the majority of the Kingdom's demographic, economic, and administrative-cultural flows are concentrated, noting that this is mainly due to the administrative weight of Rabat as the capital of the Kingdom and its unifying role as a communications hub.
He added that the role of the region is expected to grow, in light of its opening up to the tourism sector through the launch of major structural projects, such as the development of the banks of the Bouregreg and the Corniche and the development of the services it provides, which will allow for the creation of new centers to be added to its rural areas with diverse potential.
It should be noted that the regional consultative meetings to prepare the 2025-2026 foreign trade roadmap are an opportunity to highlight the potential of each region of the Kingdom, with a view to developing a roadmap to ensure sustainable and balanced development of the foreign trade sector.
