The Success of Tangier Free Zone

He said that TFZ’s plan for the future is essentially to capitalise on its success and to continue to grow. The Renault –Nissan plant has opened up immense development opportunities for automotive manufacturing in Morocco. TFZ has a significant number of automotive manufacturing firms who want to follow Renault Nissan‘s example. In a second step, TFZ is working to diversify the companies setting up here and broaden the nationalities investing in the Free Zone. No English company has so far set up in TFZ but Jamal Mikou thinks UK companies will eventually establish manufacturing plants here because it makes economic as well as geographical sense and the TFZ offer for investors is excellent...

He emphasised the historical development of big companies that have set up in TFZ from the outset such as Yazaki and Volkswagen, which is now Sumitomo, following the sale of Volkswagen. They came to Morocco to settle for cost reasons and for the proximity to Europe and the anticipated arrival of the Tangiers Med Port, which would open up even more export opportunities. Now Tangier Med Port has opened and the Renault and Nissan project is a very appropriate response.TFZ is in an exceptional and advantageous situation to respond to the demand from automobile manufacturers looking to establish cost effective manufacturing plant aligned with the best transport infrastructure for export worldwide...

The recent announcement of the transport, traffic and building upgrade of Tangier amounting to US$ 352 million is important because as Jamal Mikou points out it is bringing the City up to the necessary transport and infrastructure standards so that it can cope with the rapid growth and development in the region that Tanger Med Port will bring and link up with the rest of Morocco through the extended auto route and rail net works. He emphasised the need to ensure that Tangier grows in prosperity as a major city and hub for continued investment. He said that is necessary to ensure the entire infrastructure and fabric of Tangier is ready to support future growth. This involves not only the creation of not only industrial infrastructures, but also the development of life style and amenities befitting the second city of Morocco. The upgrade of the city of Tangier with a very important investment budget   will ensure that there are enough roads, parking lots, restaurants, reception areas and major facilities. This important development will enlarge the potential that Tangier can achieve.

Commenting on the Euromed zone initiative advanced by President Sarkozy, Jamal Mikou felt that it was a significant and interesting idea, which Morocco should participate in. He emphasised that the geographic position of Morocco is crucial in addition to the geographic position of Tangier. Morocco is sharing in this Euro-Med project. Its proximity to Europe and position in the Mediterranean region gives Morocco a natural advantage. He looks forward to future developments on the Euromed project with eager anticipation.

Yacout Info remarked that there are several zones that are planned for the Tangier Med Project. TFZ was the first Free Zone, which helped test the concept, proved that it would work and showed that the approach t was attractive to investors, and allowed TFZ to provide work at the port, which was also an issue. This success has led to the plan for new free zones because there is a significant and growing demand. France is the principal partner because Morocco has historic relations. This is similar to India and England; even though they are quite far from each other, the two countries have remained very close. That is why today of Morocco’s future objectives is to diversify national investors, where Morocco may not yet have a strong business relationship as well as hosting the maximum number of French companies that want to come to Morocco because of this strong business relationship.

Mr. Mikou emphasised that England will be an important objective especially because economically and politically, all the tools are in place. The Middle East Association, the British Moroccan Business Council are actively engaged in promoting stronger UK Moroccan trading links, and Morocco has been among the privileged countries in the English government’s programme for international development. All this gives Morocco and the UK potential strengths, but he felt that it was a matter of finding a balance between the Mediterranean spirit and the British spirit. Knowing that there are many English people living in Tangier is an important historical link, which will help in developing future business relations.