It is the CDG, whose mission is the general interest and support of public policies for the country's economic development, that carries the "hard cores" of development in the Oriental region, involving itself totally in the realisation of these programmes presented to us by the Chairman of the Management Board of Medz, a subsidiary of the CDG in charge of these projects, Abdelatif Hadj Hamou. But beyond this component, such a project requires prerequisites. First of all, a synergy between the various public stakeholders, the CDG and the Wali who are totally invested in these projects, the elected officials, the associations, the Chamber of Commerce, and all the actors of the technopole. The success of the project also requires an environment favourable to creativity, innovation, scientific and technical competition, and openness to the international stage. It was Pierre Laffitte, founder of Sophia Antipolis and in charge of a mission for the creation of a specific network for the development of innovation in the Euro-Mediterranean, whom we met in Fez, who confided to us that the essential ingredient for the success of technopoles "is a state of mind, it is the collective will of the project's actors and local actors. The infrastructure makes it possible to locate a project, but what is necessary is to create a consensus on the vision in general and on the model in particular in order to allow 'a specificity' of the offer which must be adapted to the region's environment." It also remains to integrate the key success factors presented to us by Jean Michel Huet: integrate public-private partnerships, the long term, governance and the professionalisation of managers, and the attractiveness of the territory for good visibility at the international level, which requires the involvement of the concerned ministerial departments.

The Med-Est Plan is a regional strategy that aims to strengthen the development of the Oriental region by relying on several territorial growth engines. Med-Est is the regional implementation of various sectoral strategies, particularly the Emergence plan, Green Morocco, the energy strategy, and Rawaj. Three projects fall within the framework of this strategy: the Oujda Technopole, the Berkane Agropole, and the Selouane industrial park. The Technopole and the Berkane Agropole have been operational since 2012. The Selouane-Nador industrial park is in the process of being marketed. The in-site works were completed more than two years ago, but the procedure for transferring land from the Nador Chamber of Commerce and Industry to the SAPS company (Selouane Industrial Park Development Company), in charge of the project, has suffered delays. This transfer is now realised thanks to the appointment of the new president of the Chamber.

The Oujda Technopole is a project that translates, at the spatial level, the convergence between sectoral strategies and a regional strategy and aims to position the region on activities with high growth and job creation potential, namely industries linked to renewable energies, industries intended for the local market, carried by SMEs/SMIs, offshoring, trade, and logistics. The whole is supported by the Knowledge Campus which makes it possible to complete the system in terms of training adapted human resources and innovations brought by research and development.

The project covers 107 ha and includes the following components:

• Cleantech (clean technologies): 40 ha

• SMEs-SMIs: 23 ha

• Logistics zone: 20 ha

• Services & offshoring: 4 ha

• Retail park and showrooms: 20 ha

The Technopole has been received and the titles were split in 2012. The SME, logistics, and commercial zones are in the process of being marketed:

• SME zone: 23 projects corresponding to 29 lots have been marketed out of a total of 63 lots. 9 projects are under construction.

• Commercial zone: 6 projects corresponding to 8 lots marketed out of a total of 34 lots. 1 project is under construction.

• Logistics zone: one lot has been marketed. For the SME zone, the projects concern diverse activities, such as metal construction, mechanical manufacturing, carpentry, agro-industry, textiles, and renewable energies. For the commercial zone, the projects concern automotive dealerships, industrial and agricultural equipment, household appliances, and cosmetic products.

Regarding Cleantech, no allocation has yet been made. Their development is dependent on the operational deployment of the Wind & Solar Plan and the regional measures that will be put in place by local and national authorities with a view to strengthening the region's attractiveness compared to better-connected regions. Marketing has been strongly impacted by the support that local authorities, in particular the Wilaya, have reserved for project leaders. There has been strong mobilisation to ensure investors have all the facilities for obtaining authorisations.

The construction works for the Offshoring Zone, whose value offer is in the form of office space, were completed in April 2013 and marketing has been initiated. In this sector, incentives are also necessary to attract project leaders to choose the Oriental region.

First of all, there is its strategic location near the airport, a few kilometres from the city and on the Oujda-Saïdia expressway. This location places it on the main economic development axis of the city of Oujda. Another asset is its design as a new-generation Technopole that offers infrastructure quality in accordance with international standards. We also have the presence of a qualified employment pool through the presence of several training institutes (engineers, specialised technicians, skilled workers) and covering a multitude of sectors, among which are those planned for the Technopole (renewable energies, industrial processes, offshoring, trade...). The last very important asset is the support provided by local authorities and various administrations, particularly in terms of processing installation requests (allocation commission), granting building permits in record time, and other procedures such as connection to electrical networks, drinking water, and sanitation, important assets that have encouraged several investors to come and concretise their project at the Oujda Technopole.

As in all new activity zone projects in the valuation phase, there is a need to ensure an appropriate environment, which involves the project's connectivity (personnel transport), the guarantee of local services (security, administration, maintenance, catering), technical means, and accommodation for personnel working at the Technopole. This environment is generally put in place gradually, according to the site's densification in terms of activities. Many projects being under construction, this project will follow the same path. We have experience in this subject, thanks to our subsidiary MedZ sourcing. This company will manage the Technopole by offering basic services: security, maintenance of roads and green spaces, catering... We have also ensured that the one-stop shop, housing the various administrations concerned with the act of investing, is operational from this month, with other useful services such as catering and the business centre. We are counting on the sustained support of local authorities to guarantee the implementation of other services, particularly transport, which is decisive for the movement of employees. Today, the balance sheet is generally positive since we have managed to market nearly 50% of the surfaces dedicated to SMEs-SMIs and trade. Our challenge relates to the marketing of Cleantech, which can be explained by the delay in the implementation of a specific Morocco offer (2012) for the development of industrial activities linked to renewable energies. The fact remains that for such projects, one must integrate the long term. The wind and solar programmes, the principle of industrial offset, are likely to allow the installation in Morocco of an important industrial base (production of equipment for solar panels, components of wind towers: blades, nacelles, turbines...) which would then spread to the different regions of Morocco. But to allow the installation of part of these activities in the Oriental, the region will have to benefit from specific measures and incentives to attract investments.

Key success factors for technopoles in Africa

After studying several technopoles, three models of governance and organisation seem to emerge, which are different according to the countries of North Africa. On one hand, there is the Moroccan model, with a key role played by the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG). On the other hand, the Tunisian model is characterised by the involvement of a private company, aided by the State, to develop and manage the technopole. Finally, the Egyptian model calls on private operators, residents of the technopole, who are responsible for fitting out their premises. Very recently, Mauritania, with good growth prospects (6% per year within 5 years) and the discovery of resources even more important than expected (iron, gold, oil, etc.), asked itself the question of setting up a technopole in Nouakchott. In light of all past experiences of setting up technopoles, 5 main key success factors, to succeed in the installation of such a structure in a country, can be retained.

Factor n°1: Ensure the involvement of key stakeholders

To create the conditions that will allow both attracting investments, creating jobs, and stimulating innovation, the technopole must be supported by both public actors (State, local equivalent of a Deposit and Management Fund, universities...) and private actors (companies, banks, professional federations...). In all observed models, the State generally plays a key role in making land available, financing infrastructure and innovation (tax incentives, subsidies). Deposit funds are also called upon to play a major role in financing, or even developing and animating technopoles. The mobilisation of private national companies constitutes a key lever for the development of companies in the incubator. Finally, partnerships with local universities make it possible to constitute professional training paths consistent with university curricula.

Factor n°2: Define a common vision anchored in the country's strategic objectives

Technopole offers must be adapted to the country's needs and economic policies. The activities hosted must thus be aligned with the sectors considered strategic at the national level. To contribute sustainably to job creation in the country, the technopole must be part of a national innovation policy defining priority sectors (industry, energy, agri-food, services, etc.) in terms of innovation, over the long term, and the associated means.

Factor n°3: Define the ad hoc financing model

The financing and operation model of the technopole must be built by associating several public and private partners. An orientation towards a model where risk-taking would be mainly ensured by the State, financing by technical and financial partners (and possibly private ones) within the framework of a public-private partnership in particular, and operation by a private company is to be favoured.

Factor n°4: Have a high-performance operational model and effective governance

In terms of governance, the sustainability of the technopole relies on management autonomy and financial autonomy which allow it not to depend on subsidies, to boost the search for corporate clients, and for partnerships with external companies. Management is often ensured by the establishment of an association including all the different actors. The management model must be high-performance to accompany the site's ramp-up through the years and reach the annual objectives of the