Logismed: Morocco, the future logistics hub for the Mediterranean and Africa
- Morocco: a logistics hub for the Mediterranean and Africa
- Casablanca-Settat contributes to logistics development
- Logismed: a Moroccan product open to global challenges
The Logismed International Logistics Fair, taking place in the Moroccan city of Casablanca from 13 to 15 May, is a very important annual event in the Mediterranean and Africa for logistics and transport professionals and institutions around the world.
This year's fair has a very significant international participation, with almost a third of exhibitors coming from abroad and a record number of more than 6,000 professionals from all areas of logistics and all regions of the country.
Ali Berrada, president of Logismed, praised the participation of the Spanish delegation, with representatives from all sectors of the logistics industry, who contributed their experience in the supply chain, multimodal transport and sustainable logistics.
‘The Logistics Exhibition is a platform for meeting and debate that gives players in the ecosystem and their institutional partners the opportunity to come together and reflect on the challenges of the future,’ explained Berrada, who highlighted the relevance of this year's theme, “the supply chain in Morocco, a sector at the service of competitiveness, sovereignty and economic sophistication”.
The programme for the new edition of the fair is very varied and focuses on issues related to the mobility of people and goods; artificial intelligence in the simplification of international trade procedures; decarbonisation and the strategies of the various players to reduce the sector's carbon footprint.
Morocco: a logistics hub for the Mediterranean and Africa
In order to promote this strategic sector through structured projects and legislative reforms aimed at improving the quality of services, attracting investment and encouraging innovation in the field of logistics, Morocco has a real opportunity to strengthen partnerships and explore new avenues for cooperation. Its objective is to build a smart, sustainable and integrated logistics system that meets the needs of the market and contributes to the development of the national economy.
The Minister of Logistics and Transport, Abdessamad Kayouh, said that the international dimension of the exhibition confirms Morocco's attractiveness and illustrates its ambition to be a logistics hub for the Mediterranean and Africa.
‘The sector is evolving rapidly, with profound changes brought about by artificial intelligence, automation, the energy transition, new customer and consumer demands, and changes occurring at an unprecedented pace, forcing us to rethink our business models,’ emphasised the minister, adding that ’ by creating bold public-private partnerships, we can turn challenges into opportunities and address the challenges of resilience, innovation and sustainability.’
Kayouh explained that the Moroccan government has signed partnerships with private operators to develop the logistics sector and create modern and efficient logistics zones that can help Morocco overcome its logistical challenges.
‘Morocco will become one of the continent's leading logistics hubs within three to five years, as the country is currently considered a leader in terms of maritime logistics, particularly container transport,’ he added.
‘The transport and logistics sector occupies a strategic place in the Kingdom of Morocco's vision for economic competitiveness, and we are working to strengthen this sector as a key pillar of our development plans, with the aim of reinforcing its position as a leading logistics hub in the African and Mediterranean region,’ stressed the Minister of Transport and Logistics.
Casablanca-Settat contributes to logistics development
As part of the implementation of the national logistics strategy to preserve Morocco's leadership on the continent and accelerate its economic growth, Casablanca-Settat plays a key role thanks to its industrial zones. The region accounts for approximately 30% of the country's GDP, 50% of its foreign trade and a significant share of its industrial production.
The strategy aims to develop the region's role in the production of goods and services, and logistics is a key factor in this process. To achieve this, the government has identified areas for development and invested in infrastructure, with new industrial zones and investments exceeding £150 million.
The president of the Regional Council, Abdellatif Maâzouz, highlighted the importance of public transport in the Casablanca-Settat region, emphasising the primary objective of the regional logistics ambition to reduce vehicle congestion for the efficient movement of goods and people, thereby increasing the region's competitiveness and productivity.
Maâzouz clarified the development vision for the Casablanca-Settat region, which aims to create sustainable and competitive development that benefits both producers and citizens.
‘The logistical challenges facing our country's economic capital and the issue of mobility and sustainable development are key to improving the quality of life of the region's seven million inhabitants and an important factor in accelerating progress,’ added the president of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Council.
Logismed: a Moroccan product open to global challenges
The Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdessamad Kayouh, stated that the fair is a quintessentially Moroccan product open to global challenges and has become a platform for taking stock of achievements in the implementation of the National Strategy for the Development of Logistics Competitiveness, in order to identify challenges and readjust priorities in light of the rapid changes taking place in the world, with a view to strengthening economic sovereignty.
In this context, the Ministry, through the Moroccan Agency for the Development of Logistics Activities, is paying particular attention to the development of logistics zones in the different regions of the country, where a priority programme is currently being implemented that includes several logistics zone projects covering an area of 750 hectares.
As part of the national strategy for the development of logistics competitiveness, the launch of the first logistics zone in Lqliâa, south of Agadir, was recently announced. This is the first such zone at the national level to be developed by the Moroccan Agency for the Development of Logistics Activities. Several projects for the construction of logistics zones in Casablanca, Kenitra and Fez will be launched this year.
Special attention will be paid to the southern regions, particularly Dakhla and Guerguerat, to establish logistics zones in line with the objectives of Morocco's Atlantic initiative, according to statements by the Minister of Logistics.
‘These efforts are accompanied by initiatives aimed at supporting Moroccan companies to invest in the logistics sector by including it as a priority in the National Investment Charter, as well as through programmes to improve their competitiveness and encourage the emergence of efficient logistics players,’ Kayouh concluded.