Industry Minister reassures car making plants will stay in Morocco

Car manufacturers are interested to maintain operations in Morocco where production costs are one of the most competitive globally, Industry Minister Moulay Hafid El Alamy said.

Speaking to MPs, he denounced as baseless the claims that France will call back its car production plants because of the crisis caused by Covid-19. Thanks to Morocco’s competitiveness, car production factories asked a resumption of production in the country during the lockdown, while most car factories were forced to remain closed in other parts of the world, he said.

 

Both Renault plants in Tangier and Casablanca and Peugeot factory in Kenitra are gradually restoring production level after a halt imposed at the start of the coronavirus lockdown.

Self-sufficiency was a concept that the minister emphasized on especially at these times of global uncertainties.

He said the ministry encourages Moroccan industrial fabric to meet the needs of the country in terms of medical equipment, lauding the initiative of aerospace part suppliers who succeeded in making an efficient ventilator.

The Moroccan ventilator is under clinical trials and includes an advanced invasive respiration device.

Morocco has also secured its self-sufficiency in masks, which it cleared for exports, along with meeting the needs of domestic market in sanitizers and other medical protective gear.

Demand on food industry doubled six-fold he said, noting that no shortages have been noticed in the Moroccan market.

Morocco is developing a new industrial strategy to deal with the new challenges posed by Covid-19 to be unveiled soon, he said.
Overall, Moulay Hafid Elalamy was upbeat that the economic recovery in Morocco after the COVID-19 activity suspensions will be faster than was expected a month ago.