Morocco Poised to Boost Manufacturing as Global Demand for Medical Supplies Surges

The economic slowdown due to the impacts of Covid-19 is an opportunity for Morocco to position itself among viable manufacturing sites, says economist Hinh T. Dinh. In an interview with MAP, he specified that the global demand for medical products will be maintained at least in the medium term, creating new opportunities for manufacturing companies in countries like Morocco. Simple medical equipment such as face masks, gloves, gowns and simple medical supplies are manufactured in Morocco. Thus, Morocco is positioning itself to meet the demands of buyers and investors around the world in search of production sites outside of China.

For the researcher, Morocco is in a favorable position compared to many countries in the region and the world, due to the many health measures taken to contain the virus, even if the economic impacts are significant. However, Hinh T. Dinh believes that the kingdom is ready to meet the most difficult challenges to come and noted that King Mohammed VI’s African Solidarity Initiative is "both timely and crucial" to address the current unprecedented health crisis. This is an initiative to share experiences and best practices to address the health, economic and social impact of the pandemic.

On the projections for the way out of the crisis, Mr. Dinh believes that a return to normal depends on the availability of a tested vaccine made available to all by the end of 2020. He projects a gradual resumption of economic activities for the first half of 2021. The longer the crisis lasts, the more costly the damage will be and a return to normal will be hypothetical, insists the American economist.