The region of Guelmim-Oued Noun faces many challenges on the way to its development, however, future projects, particularly those relating to renewable energies, will create several beneficial opportunities for the region, assured the President of the Council of the region, Mbarka Bouaida.
Guest of the “Liqa’ MoroccoLatestNews” program, Mbarka Bouaida, said that the region is facing major development challenges, in particular the high unemployment rate (18.9%) which is among the highest recorded in the regions of the Kingdom, thus becoming a priority of the regional development project.
The poverty rate is also very high in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region, she notes, noting nevertheless that the region’s gross product has started to increase in recent years, placing it among the top five regions of Morocco. , while the region’s economic growth rate reached 9.1%. ” So there are positive indicators and negative indicators.” , did she say.
” This is the bet of the region. We must seek radical solutions to the problem of unemployment, even if it is a vast problem“, considers the President of the Council of Guelmim-Oued Noun, who notes in this regard that the region must develop differently, through a strategic vision. The main foundations of development were laid within the region when it had a very low budget, she recalls.
She points out, however, that since 2015-2016, when the integrated development programs of the three southern regions were signed, we entered the development phase alongside the launch of the development model of the southern regions of the Kingdom“.
As for renewable energy projects, Bouaida explained that a number of international companies have shown interest in producing green hydrogen in the provinces of the Guelmim region, and “We welcomed them to discuss and negotiate with them in order to win in terms of the region’s positioning in green hydrogen”.
And to add: The region should benefit from the renewable energy system, in particular through energy efficiency and the reduction of the cost of energy within the region, but also for the population“.
In this sense, the official informs that the water desalination plants, being part of this system, are considered a major project that was approved in July 2021 under the program contract at a cost of 5.5 billion dirhams. The project, says Bouaida, includes a water desalination station in Tan-Tan for agricultural irrigation, and a second at Plage Blanche for drinking water.
The President of the Regional Council also tells us that work has started at the Sidi Ifni station. ” We also want the renewable energy system to allow us to create job opportunities. That is to say the local production of the mechanisms required by hydrogen and other projects, with the training of young people’s skills in skilled trades“, she remarks.
In the same vein, Bouaida mentioned the development projects in the region, in particular the electrical interconnection project between Morocco and Great Britain, “XLinks”, via the longest maritime cable, which is ” an ambitious and credible project, and has the city of Tan-Tan as a starting point “.
” The region cannot remain a passive partner to attract investments, but its role is rather to be an effective partner to develop a strong image of the region and what can be beneficial to it.“, concludes the President of the Council of Guelmim-Oued Noun.