The North
From The Report: Morocco 2014
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Anchored by the port city of Tangiers, Morocco’s diverse northern region has undergone a significant transformation in the past 10 years thanks in large part to efforts to decentralise governance, boost local infrastructure and encourage industrial growth. The crux of these efforts is an integrated economic development plan that aims to capitalise on the region’s location at the juncture of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and along key maritime trade routes. In addition, a five-year urban and economic development plan, Tangiers-Metropolis, launched in September 2013, aims to invest another Dh7.66bn (€680.2m) in the greater Tangiers area between 2013 and 2017 to reinforce its position as a motor of the national economy. Today, Tangiers-Tétouan is the second-largest recipient of FDI inflows after the greater Casablanca area. While the port-industrial complex in Tangiers has been the focus of public and private investment in the past decade, the region’s growth has opened up possibilities in a number of sectors, including tourism, services, information and communications technology, offshoring and agriculture. This chapter contains interviews with Fouad Brini, President of the Supervisory Council, Tangiers Mediterranean Special Agency (TMSA), and Julianne M Furman, Founder, Tangiers Free Zone Investors Assoc.; President, Polydesign Systems; and GM, Exco Automotive Solutions Europe.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

A rising tide: The northern region is a hub of industrial activity
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Anchored by the port city of Tangiers, Morocco’s diverse northern region has undergone a significant transformation in the past 10 years. The infrastructure and economic tissue of the north lagged behind much of the country for decades. However, since the late 1990s, efforts to decentralise governance, boost local infrastructure and encourage industrial growth have propelled the region forward. The crux of these efforts is an integrated economic development plan that aims to capitalise on the region’s location at the juncture of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and along key maritime trade routes. Central to this is the sprawling…

Analysis

A thriving city: Tangiers-Tétouan’s sprawling industrial network sprang up in a decade
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The rapid development of the industrial sector in Tangiers-Tétouan is due to a concerted effort by the central government and local authorities to establish a coherent and interconnected system of industrial and logistics zones, connected to a major Mediterranean port. The Tanger-Med Special Agency (TMSA) now presides over one of the country’s fastest-growing industrial complexes, and its future looks bright. The TMSA oversees a network of six industrial and free zones located in the Tanger-Med greater industrial platform, within an 80-km radius of the Tanger-Med port. Thus far, 1200 ha of the total 3000 ha set aside by public authorities…

Interview

OBG talks to Fouad Brini, President of the Supervisory Council, Tangiers Mediterranean Special Agency (TMSA)
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Interview:Fouad Brini What are the advantages of Tanger-Med when compared to other Mediterranean ports? FOUAD BRINI: In less than six years of operation, the TangerMed port has experienced tangible successes. In terms of container lifting, the port surpassed 2.5m treated twenty-foot equivalent units in 2013. These figures not only place Tanger-Med as the seventh-most important port on the Mediterranean Sea, but also positions it as a front-line player in the Strait of Gibraltar. Additionally,…

Interview

OBG talks to Julianne Furman, Founder, Tangiers Free Zone Investors Assoc.; President, Polydesign Systems; and GM, Exco Automotive Solutions Europe
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Interview:Julianne Furman How effective has the Tangiers Free Zone (TFZ) been at reducing barriers for business start-ups, and what challenges remain? JULIANNE FURMAN: I often tell potential investors that, if they are considering investing in Morocco, there is not a single reason to not choose the TFZ. The zone offers all of the advantages of a modern, state-of-the-art industrial park, a one-stop shop for investors, and clear rules and regulations. Investors in the TFZ benefit from the support…

Analysis

Getting from A to B faster: A high-speed railway will improve connectivity and reduce travel times
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Investments in the transport network in the north of Morocco over the past decade have allowed the economy of the Tangiers-Tétouan area to grow exponentially. The upgrade of the highway and rural road network, expansion of the region’s main airport, and the construction of a railway that connects the industrial zones directly to the Tanger-Med port have helped to spur construction activity and improve the region’s investment attractiveness. Nor is this likely to change any time soon. A handful of transport infrastructure projects are planned for the near term; of these, the implementation of Morocco’s national high-speed railway (ligne…

Analysis

Tomorrow’s metropolis: Infrastructure and urban development projects will overhaul Tangiers
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The government has invested heavily in improvements to Morocco’s transport networks, port capacity and industrial infrastructure in the past two decades. Whereas public investment programmes are coming to a close in a number of areas, the Tangiers-Tétouan region is set to receive an ambitious slate of building projects between 2010 and 2017. Two key projects, the Tangiers-Metropolis programme and the reconversion of the Bay of Tangiers, will channel significant public and private investment into the regional capital in an effort to position Tangiers as an economic hub for Morocco and the southern Mediterranean. TANGIERS METROPOLIS: In…

Analysis

Strong headwinds: Renewable energy programmes hold promise for the northern region
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Energy is a significant concern for policymakers in Morocco, given the country’s lack of hydrocarbons resources, which makes it reliant on imports to meet demand – and the northern region is no exception, both with regard to renewable energy generation and energy efficiency. Indeed, if anything, the issue is more acute in the north, given the dramatic increase in industrial consumption in recent years. WIND POWER: The northern areas of Tangiers-Tétouan and Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate are attractive for the development of wind power, given their position on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts and the presence of mountainous zones. The…

Analysis

Main attraction: Regional strategy aims to develop high-end and rural tourism
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Tourist attractions in northern Morocco are diverse, ranging from urban tourism in the historic cities of Tangiers and Tétouan, to natural parks, niche destinations in Assilah and Chefchaouen, and ancient Roman ruins in areas such as Lixus and Volubilis. The potential is real, but existing tourism infrastructure limits the industry’s capacity. As a result, tourism authorities in Tangiers-Tétouan are working to strengthen the sector offering on two different levels: one track aims to develop large-scale tourist attractions and resorts, while a second focuses on natural sites and ecotourism, in order to harness the value of the local environment…

Analysis

From the ground up: Efforts are under way to boost agricultural output
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While Morocco’s northern region is an important agricultural producer, benefitting from a fertile location along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, it captures only a small percentage of the sector’s added value. Authorities are working to implement a number of projects under the national agricultural strategy, the Green Morocco Plan (Plan Maroc Vert, PMV), and regional schemes that emphasise the importance of local value-added processing and more efficient production techniques. In 2010 turnover in the sector amounted to Dh7.9bn (€701.5m) in Tangiers-Tétouan and Dh4.84bn (€429.8m) in Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate, according to the…

Analysis

Knowledge market: Offering small business support and professional training
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The rapid influx of foreign direct investment in industry and related service sectors has helped provide new revenues for local businesses in the Tangiers-Tétouan region. This is particularly true in terms of employment. After decades of emigration, the Tangiers area is now a magnet for both low- and high-skilled workers nationwide. However, the presence of a number of foreign investors in the region’s free zones, which exempt companies from foreign currency restrictions and Customs duties, can limit the capture of value by local firms. LOCAL BUSINESSES: The arrival of large-scale manufacturers such as Sumitomo, Renault or Lear has helped…