Morocco commits to seaports as a driver of economic development, social inclusion and territorial equality
- In the wake of Tangier Med
- Nador West Med and Dakhla Atlantic, next steps
- Reducing inequalities
- Promoting employment
- International trade
The working meeting held on Wednesday, 28 January, at the Royal Palace in Casablanca, which we reported on in Atalayar, served to emphasise the importance that King Mohammed VI attaches to this project, for which the basic facilities have already been completed.
This project is part of a broader and more ambitious strategic plan, promoted by the Moroccan monarch himself, which consists of economic revitalisation, the promotion of youth employment and the reduction of territorial inequalities by taking advantage of one of Morocco's most important natural resources: the sea.
In the wake of Tangier Med
With more than 1,800 kilometres of coastline, both Mediterranean and Atlantic, and a strategic geographical location between Europe and Africa, and between East and West, Morocco has an important lever for development that has become key to its recent economic growth.
One example is the port of Tangier Med, which since it began operating has expanded its cargo capacity to become the leading port on the African continent and in the Mediterranean. By the end of 2025, this port will have exceeded 10 million containers of annual traffic, reaching its operational capacity, and a new expansion, the third, is already being considered, with an investment of more than 5 billion dirhams.
Tangier Med has been the successful first step in this national strategy promoted by the monarchy to achieve economic development, promote employment and reduce territorial inequalities by exploiting a resource such as the sea. Since its launch, the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region has experienced enormous growth, becoming one of the country's economic engines thanks to the development of industry, infrastructure, logistics and the promotion of foreign investment.
Nador West Med and Dakhla Atlantic, next steps
Now, the same model used in northern Morocco is to be replicated in both the north-eastern region of Nador and the southern provinces. As some analysts point out, the aim is to turn one of the country's raw advantages, its geographical location, into a basis for its economy, adding value and promoting its integration into global supply chains.
In the case of Nador West Med and Dakhla Atlantic, there is another objective beyond simple economic development: to integrate the eastern and southern regions into the national economic landscape and transform them into attractive hubs for foreign investment, promoting their development and bringing them into line with the prosperous region of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.
In this sense, the ports being developed by Morocco are much more than simple maritime transport infrastructure; they are true drivers of the comprehensive development of their respective regions, promoting communications, developing the business fabric (especially in sectors such as automotive, renewable energy, chemicals, textiles, etc.), fostering employment and bringing the living conditions of the citizens of these provinces into line with those of other more prosperous regions.
Reducing inequalities
It is precisely this last objective, the balanced development of the different territories that make up Morocco, that King Mohammed VI himself has emphasised on several occasions as a strategic goal.
It is worth recalling, for example, the latest speech commemorating the 26th anniversary of his accession to the throne, delivered on 29 July last year, in which Mohammed VI stated: 'However high the level of economic development and infrastructure achieved, I will not be satisfied if this does not contribute in a tangible way to improving the living conditions of citizens, of all social classes and in all areas and regions.'
In the same speech, the monarch stressed that 'there is no place, either today or tomorrow, for a two-speed Morocco. The time has come to bring about real change in the overall development of territorial spaces, correcting social and spatial disparities. We therefore call for a shift from traditional approaches to social development to an integrated spatial development approach. Our goal is none other than for the fruits of progress and development to reach all citizens, in all areas and regions, without distinction or exclusion.'
Promoting employment
Mohammed VI reiterated this idea at the meeting held in Casablanca on the Nador West Med project. At the meeting, the King called for the implementation of specific training programmes to support investors, facilitate the integration of young people and improve their employability, and insisted that the impact of these investments should benefit all the provinces that form part of the port's area of influence, accompanying the project with territorial improvement programmes in order to improve the living environment in the region and implement a multidimensional action plan that preserves its future development.
Behind this lies a carefully considered plan for the country's main ports to also become instruments for integrating young people into the economic cycle by creating employment opportunities; launching specialised training programmes to meet the needs of foreign companies setting up in the country; and developing the skills of the local workforce.
The fact that Morocco has an extremely young population (the average age at the beginning of 2026 is 30.1 years) is both an opportunity and a risk. It is an opportunity if young people are properly trained to fill increasingly technical and specialised jobs that meet market needs. It is a risk if they cannot be integrated into this development programme.
International trade
Externally, Morocco's commitment to establishing a perfect triangle of port facilities (Tangier Med in the north-west; Nador West Med, in the northeast; and Dakhla Atlantic, in the southwest) covering the entire coastline of the country, responds to the idea of joining forces and distributing and complementing roles to absorb an increasingly abundant trade flow, which is changing due to the volatility of global supply chains.
In a global context of changing trade routes and tariff wars between major world markets, both Morocco's geostrategic location and its excellent relations with world powers such as the United States, China and the European Union make it an ideal partner that can benefit from a changing landscape.