Rabat – Morocco has approved a total of 89 investment projects worth more than MAD 1.28 billion ($139.6 million) under the national support program for very small, small and medium-sized enterprises, just six weeks after its launch, according to Karim Zidane, Minister Delegate for Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies.
Speaking yesterday at the House of Representatives during a parliamentary session, Zidane said the approved projects are expected to generate around 5,000 direct jobs.
He added that if the implementation maintains its current pace, businesses covered by the program could create nearly 40,000 jobs each year, underlining the government’s expectations for the initiative’s economic and social impact.
The minister explained that the support program forms part of a broader government strategy aimed at strengthening investment dynamics across the country.
The approach combines basic support measures available to all eligible businesses with targeted assistance for strategic companies and small and medium-sized enterprises.
According to Zidane, this framework has already helped inject new momentum into investment activity nationwide.
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During the same session, the minister also addressed questions related to improving the business climate. He stated that 98% of the initiatives outlined in the government’s 2022–2026 roadmap for business climate reform have already been launched.
Of these, 67% have reached an advanced stage of implementation, reflecting what he described as steady progress in delivering planned reforms.
Zidane said the government aims to complete all remaining initiatives during the current year, with the objective of fully implementing the roadmap within its original timeframe.
He emphasized that the roadmap reflects a clear political will to improve coordination among the various actors involved in the investment ecosystem while simplifying administrative procedures and enhancing the quality of services provided to businesses and project promoters.
As part of efforts to streamline processes and speed up decision-making, Zidane noted that the preparation, evaluation, approval, implementation, and disbursement of subsidies for investment projects valued at under MAD 250 million ($27.27 million) have been delegated to the regional level.
This decentralization is intended to reduce delays and bring decision-making closer to investors.
In this context, regional investment centers are being entrusted with overseeing the deployment of the SME-focused support mechanism.
The minister said this shift is designed to improve efficiency, ensure better follow-up at the local level, and reinforce the role of regions in driving economic development.
