Industrial Zones: Ryad Mezzour’s Uncompromising Assessment
Untapped Land, Territorial Disparities, and Fragmented Governance: The Minister of Industry Highlights the Shortcomings Hindering the Valorization of Morocco’s Industrial Potential
Morocco boasts a considerable industrial land heritage, yet it struggles to fully exploit its potential. This assertion was made by Ryad Mezzour, the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Investment, and Inclusion, during his address to the House of Representatives on Monday, November 2. Through an unflinching diagnosis, the minister emphasized the imbalances that characterize the management and utilization of industrial zones nationwide.
The statistics presented are indicative of the magnitude of the challenge. The Kingdom has approximately 5,000 plots spanning an area of 15,000 hectares, with an overall utilization rate of 62%. Even more concerning are the stark disparities among different areas: the valorization rate reaches 85% in some spaces, while it remains near zero in others.
This contrast raises questions about the effectiveness of industrial land development policies, especially as Morocco seeks to bolster its attractiveness to both domestic and international investors. Beyond merely having land available, the real challenge lies in converting these spaces into productive projects that generate jobs and added value.
According to Ryad Mezzour, part of these dysfunctions stems from fragmented governance, marked by a division of responsibilities between the ministry and local authorities. This arrangement, particularly regarding the creation and management of industrial zones, complicates decision-making processes and can undermine the coherence of interventions.
This situation represents a significant bottleneck for investment. In an increasingly competitive international environment where territories vie for capital and industrial projects, land can no longer be viewed as a mere reserve of plots to be developed and marketed. It must become a genuine lever for territorial competitiveness.
The challenge now is to move beyond the quantitative approach of creating new zones to prioritize a strategy focused on valorizing existing sites. This requires better institutional coordination, more efficient management of available spaces, and aligning land offerings with the actual needs of the regional economic fabric.
In this context, the new directions advocated by the ministry take on a clear relevance. The announced approach aspires to be more inclusive and localized, considering not only the availability of land but also the economic specificities, potentials, and industrial vocations of each region.
Ultimately, the challenge posed by the figures presented by the minister transcends the issue of land development. It speaks to a broader concern regarding governance and the effectiveness of public action: how do we ensure that every developed hectare translates into real investment, productive activity, and sustainable jobs?
