Tanger Med Zones Awarded by the UN for Digital Innovation

Tanger Med Zones Wins UNCTAD Investment Promotion Award

Tanger Med Zones has received one of the five Investment Promotion Awards presented by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on Sunday, October 25, 2026, in Doha, Qatar. This accolade recognizes its contribution to establishing the engineering center of the French group Alten at Tétouan Shore, located in Martil, near Tétouan. The award highlights the role of Morocco’s industrial and digital platforms in attracting international investments and developing high-value-added activities.

Tanger Med Zones Recognized Among 48 International Applicants

UNCTAD awarded Tanger Med Zones for its ability to attract and facilitate investments in digital services and solutions, particularly through the establishment of Alten Delivery Center Morocco at Tétouan Shore. The Moroccan platform stood out among 48 applications from organizations in 40 countries. The jury commended the favorable conditions provided for qualified engineering activities and digital services, as well as the existence of a suitable investment framework and a one-stop shop designed to simplify administrative processes for investors.

Four other organizations were also honored at this edition: the Caribbean Export Promotion Agency, the Ethiopian Investment Commission, Invest Korea, and Invest Qatar. Thus, Tanger Med Zones is the only economic zone to be included among the five winners in this edition focused on investment in the digital economy.

Alten Morocco Aims for 3,300 Employees by 2027

The establishment of Alten at Tétouan Shore is part of the French group’s expansion in Morocco. Present in the Kingdom since 2008 through its base in Fès, Alten Delivery Center Morocco currently employs over 2,200 staff spread across Fès, Rabat, Casablanca, and Tétouan. Engineers make up approximately 80% of its workforce.

The company aims to increase its workforce to 3,300 employees by 2027. This goal entails the potential creation of 1,100 additional jobs, reflecting a 50% increase over the currently announced levels.

Opened on September 19, 2022, Tétouan Shore’s center is the group’s fourth facility in Morocco. It is located in a park dedicated primarily to outsourcing services, while the Fès site is situated within Fès Shore, on the road to Sidi Hrazem.

The Moroccan subsidiary provides engineering, applied research, and IT services to international clients operating across several strategic sectors, including automotive, rail, aerospace, digital technology, and telecommunications.

Alten Strengthens Its Presence in International Engineering

Founded in 1988 by Simon Azoulay, originally from Rabat, the Alten group has grown to become an international player in engineering and technology consulting. By the end of 2025, it employed 51,000 engineers, including 11,800 in France and 39,200 abroad.

Listed in Paris, the group achieved a turnover of €4.1 billion (approximately 44.88 billion dirhams) in 2025, representing a decline of 1.1% year-on-year. Its net income attributable to the group was €106.9 million (nearly 1.17 billion dirhams), down by 42.6%.

In this context, Morocco serves as an important operational base for its engineering and technology services. The development of local teams addresses the needs of international clients while reinforcing national expertise in specialized professions.

Digital Economy at the Heart of UNCTAD Awards

Awarded annually since 2002, UNCTAD’s Investment Promotion Awards honor agencies and organizations that help facilitate investments and improve the business climate for companies. The 2026 edition focused on investment in the digital economy.

The ceremony took place during the opening of the ninth Global Investment Forum, held in Doha from October 25 to 27, 2026. This international event gathers public and private stakeholders around issues of investment, development, and economic transformation.

According to data presented by UNCTAD, investments in new projects related to the digital economy reached $360 billion in 2024, equivalent to approximately 3,528 billion dirhams. This amount represents nearly triple the level recorded in 2020. Over the five years ending in 2024, Southern economies captured 30% of these flows.

The World Investment Report 2026 also indicates that foreign direct investments reached $1.6 trillion in 2025, approximately 15,680 billion dirhams. Twenty economies concentrated over 80% of these funds, highlighting the strong geographical concentration of international investments.

A Recognition of Morocco’s Attractiveness

The award conferred on Tanger Med Zones underscores the significance of welcoming infrastructures, streamlined administrative processes, and specialized ecosystems in the decision-making of international companies.

Through Tétouan Shore and the activities of Alten Delivery Center Morocco, the Kingdom is solidifying its position in digital services, engineering, and technological professions aimed at international markets. Alten Morocco’s goal of increasing its workforce to 3,300 employees by 2027 also illustrates the development prospects associated with these activities.

Beyond this accolade, the award represents an international recognition of the efforts made to attract high-value investments and strengthen Morocco’s role in global service and engineering supply chains.