Rabat – Morocco’s major infrastructure projects in its southern regions, especially the new Dakhla Atlantic port and the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, are set to contribute to the development of African trade as well as regional trade, a former Senegalese official has said.
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad Mancor Ndiaye highlighted that these projects will help Morocco open up to sub-Saharan Africa, and will inevitably contribute to the “Development of intra-African and regional trade.” He made the remarks at a conference under the theme “Dakhla as an African Center” earlier this week.
Relying on its geography, Morocco’s southern regions, especially the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region, had witnessed remarkable economic growth within the industrial and financial sector, Ndiaye explained
The Senegalese former top diplomat further pointed out that, thanks to the ongoing implementation of various projects, the region is gradually evolving into an industrial, logistical, and tourism hub.
Speaking at the same event, the Head of the Information Department at Morocco’s Directorate of Financial Studies and Forecasts, Ibrahim Al-Hasnawi, noted that the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region’s economy had grown by 11.9% between 2014 and 2019. He attributed this growth to Morocco’s national strategy to develop southern regions, which was launched in 2014.
Regarding the local economic potential, Al-Hasnawi noted that the region has the highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the country thanks to its thriving fishing and services sectors.
Commenting on the mega port under construction in Dakhla, “the creation of this new port on the Atlantic front responds to geostrategic goals related to regional development and the peculiarities of the marine fishing sector,” said, Sanaa El Amrani, from the Directorate of Ports and Maritime Public Domain at the Ministry of Equipment and Water.
The project is set to stimulate the region’s industrial capacity as more businesses flock to the adjoining industrial center, contributing to the overall socio-economic development of the region.
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