Investment Minister Karim Zidane announced that 89 investment projects totaling over 1.28 billion dirhams received approval under the very small, small, and medium enterprise support framework launched six weeks ago.
The figures were presented by the official during a parliament question time on business support mechanisms and investment promotion. He specified these projects should enable approximately 5,000 job creations. At current implementation pace, this enterprise segment could generate nearly 40,000 annual jobs, demonstrating the program’s substantial employment creation potential.
The government continues deploying business support mechanisms combining basic support with targeted assistance for strategic enterprises and small businesses, Zidane emphasized, noting these mechanisms have generated unprecedented investment momentum in Morocco. The minister highlighted that 98% of initiatives planned within the 2022-2026 business climate improvement roadmap have launched, with 67% global execution rate.
The objective involves achieving 100% completion and finalizing remaining initiatives during the current year to complete roadmap implementation. This roadmap translates government determination to strengthen coordination among investment ecosystem actors while simplifying procedures and improving service quality offered to businesses and project promoters.
Within this dynamic, operations for preparation, study, approval, implementation, and subsidy disbursement for projects under 250 million dirhams have been delegated regionally to accelerate decision-making. Regional investment centers received responsibility for supervising dedicated small business support framework deployment.
The decentralization strategy represents significant departure from previous centralized approaches, enabling faster responses to local business needs while reducing bureaucratic delays that previously hampered investment initiatives. Regional centers possess better understanding of local economic conditions, market opportunities, and entrepreneurial challenges, positioning them advantageously for effective program implementation.
The framework provides financial assistance up to 30% of eligible investment costs, alongside technical support and simplified administrative procedures designed to reduce barriers facing small entrepreneurs. Priority sectors include agriculture, manufacturing, services, and technology, with particular emphasis on projects creating employment and contributing to territorial economic development.
