Morocco to set up two defense industrial zones

Morocco adopted a draft decree to create two defense industrial zones that will be home to military plants focusing on defense equipment, weapons, and munitions.

The announcement was made in a statement made by spokesperson for the royal palace following a minister’s council, held Saturday in Casablanca, under the chairmanship of by King Mohammed VI.

Many companies submitted investment proposals in the defense industry field which requires specific technical, economic, legal, and technological criteria, according to the statement.

In 2020, Morocco’s House of Representatives passed a law seeking to attract foreign investment, promote innovation and expand the country’s defense industrial base.

According to Frost & Sullivan group, a research and consulting firm, Morocco is set to become a weapons’ producing country in the few coming years as the country is set to host foreign factories specialized in arms manufacturing by 2025.

Morocco has one of the largest armies in Africa and one of the largest defense budgets on the continent.

It has included a defense industry dimension in its recent military cooperation deals with Brazil and the US to mention but a few.