Morocco Aims to Become World’s Top Competitive Automotive Hub Amid Pandemic

In an interview with the economic newspaper Finances news hebdo, Moulay Hafid Elalamy said that first and foremost, the health of Moroccans is an "absolute priority", referring to the High Instructions of His Majesty the King, contained in the Throne Speech. "Very early on, therefore, our department set about formalizing strict health protocols within the factories and initiated control operations in close collaboration with the local authorities. Human resources are trained in prevention and have full control of the health procedures. The recovery plan announced in the Royal Speech provides great support to the sector," said Moulay Hafid Elalamy.

Speaking in particular about the economic recovery plan, with regard to the automotive sector, the minister has identified two actions that need to be prioritized for the automotive sector. These are improving competitiveness through deep local integration and decarbonizing the ecosystem.

In the first case, Morocco, which aims to become the most competitive automotive hub in the world, would benefit from developing "more added value and a denser and therefore more competitive production chain," says the minister. Indeed, "Moroccan capital has a key role to play in this strategy. Manufacturers want to encourage the development of national operators because they are convinced that the latter, once qualified, to integrate the sector, will be very competitive," he notes. In the second case, that is to say decarbonization, it is a lever of competitiveness. For Elalamy, "the Kingdom has the most competitive renewable energies in the world. By directing them towards industry, we can integrate more energy-intensive trades and reduce the energy bill of operators already installed".

In addition, the minister stressed the reduction of dependence on inputs in automotive production in recent years. All of this has allowed the Peugeot 208 produced in Kenitra to be integrated by more than 60% locally. But also, the success of the city electric vehicle, the Citroën AMI produced in the same city, is a tangible example of the growth levers brought about by the crisis, according to the minister.