King Mohammed VI called on the private sector to take advantage of the momentum triggered by the new Investment Charter.
In a message addressed to the participants in the first edition of the “National Day of Industry”, opened on Wednesday in Casablanca, the Sovereign also urged this sector to take advantage of the multiple incentives granted by the regions to private investments, according to the specificities, the resources and potentialities at their disposal.
Here is also the full text of the Royal Message, which was read by the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour.
“Praise be to God, Prayer and Greetings be upon the Prophet, His family and His companions.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is particularly pleasant for Us to address the participants in this first edition of the “National Industry Day”. We wanted to place this event under Our High Patronage, thus reaffirming all the interest We have in the promotion of this vital sector of the national economic fabric, considered as an essential lever and a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development.
Also, we want this National Industry Day to be part of the calendar of major economic events, as an annual meeting of the sector and its operators. We also give the orientation that its next editions be declined at the regional level in order to highlight the local industrial potential and to deal with the challenges specific to each region.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Over the past two decades, Morocco has made significant progress in the industrial field. The key to this success lies in the fact that the national industry is based on the principle of global economic openness and relies on ambitious strategies, clearly defined and deployed within the framework of a global territorial vision.
These strategies were designed to make industry a central lever of Morocco’s economic development, a major provider of jobs, a catalyst for productive investment and export and a vector of growth and development at the service of the citizen. Their support was provided through the establishment of a network of industrial, logistical and energy infrastructures and the implementation of structural reforms to improve the business climate, skills training and the competitiveness of industry. Moroccan.
These achievements and these assets, coupled with the political and macro-economic stability of the Kingdom and its industrial know-how, have enabled Moroccan industry to position itself in highly technological trades and specializations and to be a driving force for growth, production and export.
This is how Morocco has today become an essential world destination in cutting-edge sectors, such as the automobile industry, in which our country has become a continental leader, as well as the aeronautical industries for which the Kingdom constitutes an attractive platform providing the materials, parts and components they require.
At the same time, the Kingdom has confirmed its status as a major player in global food security in general and in Africa in particular, through the development of its fertilizer industry, offering farmers quality products, affordable and specifically adapted to the needs of the soil. and cultures of each region.
For its part, the national agro-food industry, by contributing to the development of our country’s fishing and agricultural resources, contributes to the strengthening of food sovereignty.
The textile and leather sector has also been able to take advantage of changes in global value chains by positioning itself in sustainable segments with higher added value.
All of these sectors and many others that have experienced similar growth dynamics, particularly in exports, have strengthened the resilience of our industry. They have enabled it to curb the impact of the Covid-19 crisis and play a vital role in consolidating the industrial, health and food sovereignty of our country.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The global economic situation, marked by geopolitical conflicts, has generated areas of turbulence that are gaining in intensity under the effect of climate change with ever-increasing impacts; so much so that the securing of vital supplies and the inflation of their prices have been negatively affected. Faced with the vulnerabilities of global value chains and the strong dependence on imports, the sovereignty of our country in this area is at the heart of priorities. For this, our industry is called, today more than ever, to make local production more competitive to reduce this dependence, to further strengthen our resilience and our competitiveness, to consolidate Morocco’s anchorage in promising sectors.
Also, we must be fully prepared to inaugurate a new industrial era driven by and by the notion of sovereignty. To succeed in this challenge, our country needs an industry integrating new activities and new know-how and offering more job opportunities.
This is why the industry must make its ability to create long-term jobs for young people its first challenge. Industrial ambition can only be driven by human capital with enhanced capacities and skills.
Also, the new industrial fabric must generalize the adaptation of human capital to the specific needs of industrial projects and strengthen managerial skills. To this end, it is necessary to provide young people with quality training in tune with new needs and new changes and open to new technologies, within the framework of a stronger public-private partnership.
It will also be necessary to set up and expand the support mechanisms in favor of strengthening the technological infrastructure and R&D (Research and Development) within Moroccan companies and the creation of an ecosystem of industry-university-research centers. research, to support innovation and make it an engine of growth for Moroccan industry.
On the other hand, this move upmarket that the industry will have to operate necessarily implies its accelerated transition towards low-carbon production through access to electricity produced from renewable sources at competitive prices and the improvement of its energy efficiency.
In addition, Moroccan industry is called upon to contribute to the preservation of water resources by rationalizing the use of water and the reuse of waste water and by resorting to new technologies and solutions.
The Kingdom can thus become a reference in terms of carbon-free, responsible and sustainable production methods and attract foreign investors seeking opportunities in the green economy sectors.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In view of the importance of the priorities that We have defined, and in view of the role and responsibility that the private sector must fulfill alongside the State in the industrial field by meeting the current challenges and exploiting the opportunities We call on this sector to take advantage of the momentum set in motion by the new Investment Charter. We also urge it to take advantage of the many incentives granted by the regions to private investment, according to the specific characteristics, resources and potential available to them, so that in each of them an economic pole capable of to create jobs and realize the full productive potential of the territories.
We also invite it to direct its efforts towards productive investment, including in cutting-edge and promising sectors, carried by Moroccan brands and to aim for the emergence of a new generation of companies throughout the National territory. Thus, he will be able to contribute to the development projects that our country is experiencing and serve the interests of the Nation and the citizens.
Finally, We hope that this national meeting will be an opportunity to put in place sound and solid foundations to further promote the industrial sector in our country, in order to make it a vector of growth and sustainable development, generator of value. and jobs.
May God guide your steps and grant you full success in your work.
Wassalamou alaikoum warahmatoullahi wabarakatouh »