Unlocking the Commercial Potential of Dakhla: Morocco Offers Opportunities to Spanish Investors

In a bid to fortify the burgeoning economic relationship between Morocco and Spain, Moroccan officials recently unveiled the business potential of the country's southern regions, notably the Dakhla Oued-Eddahab area, to a delegation of Spanish investors. Organized by the Madrid Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Moroccan Embassy in Spain, the forum attracted a gathering of over a hundred investors from leading Spanish companies, including Iberdrola, Renfe, Alstom, Vectalia, and Repsol.

Karima Benyaich, the Moroccan Ambassador, underscored the manifold advantages and prospects presented by the rapidly advancing southern provinces of Morocco. "The region stands as one of the most dynamic in the country, propelled by the development model of the southern provinces initiated by King Mohammed VI in 2015," she remarked, alluding to the various infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture, fishing, and tourism initiatives launched in the area.

Dakhla Oued-Eddahab is poised to emerge as a regional and continental nexus, serving as a logistics and commercial hub for Africa, owing to its strategically favorable geographic location in proximity to West African and Sahel countries. This positioning is further reinforced by the Atlantic Initiative, spearheaded by King Mohammed VI, which seeks to furnish landlocked Sahel countries with access to the ocean via Morocco's infrastructure.

The ambassador stressed Dakhla's strategic significance, particularly its adjacency to the Canary Islands, situated just 500 kilometers away. "Dakhla represents a savvy investment," she asserted, encouraging Spanish investors to "seize the advantages offered by the region and capitalize on the current historic juncture" in the bilateral relations between Morocco and Spain.

El Khattat Yanja, President of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Regional Council, echoed these sentiments, affirming that the region is increasingly positioning itself as a "hub for wealth creation" through the ongoing development of sectors such as fishing, tourism, commerce, agriculture, and renewable energy.

"Owing to its strategic and advantageous geographical placement, the Dakhla Oued-Eddahab region has evolved into a pivotal logistics and commercial center for Africa and a gateway for major corporations to access the African market, with promising potential for the future," Yanja remarked.

The regional president also spotlighted the Dakhla Atlantique Port project, a mega-initiative anticipated to significantly stimulate foreign investments, alongside the world-class infrastructure providing requisite facilities for the expansion of commercial and economic activities.

As the bilateral relations between Morocco and Spain continue to progress, the Moroccan government is actively showcasing investment opportunities in the country's southern regions, particularly Dakhla Oued-Eddahab. With its strategic location, burgeoning industries, and robust infrastructure, the region stands poised to foster economic collaboration between the two nations, heralding a future of enhanced prosperity for all involved.