Morocco Establishes Defense Industry Zones Through New Joint Venture
Doha – The Moroccan government has officially authorized the creation of a company dedicated to developing and managing specialized industrial zones for defense industries.
According to decree N° 2.25.428 published in the Official Bulletin on June 9, the new entity – dubbed the 'Defense Industrial Zones Management Company' – will be established as a joint venture between the Military Housing and Equipment Agency (ALEM) and MEDZ, a subsidiary of the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG) group.
The new company will be capitalized at MAD 300,000 ($30,000), with ownership split equally between ALEM and MEDZ. Its primary mission will be to design, develop, market, and manage industrial zones specifically dedicated to defense industry activities.
This initiative implements royal directives aimed at creating two specialized industrial zones for defense manufacturing, in accordance with Law 10.20 governing defense and security equipment, weapons, and ammunition.
The project follows a strategic partnership agreement signed on November 8, 2023, between the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the National Defense Administration, CDG, and ALEM.
The authorization, decided on May 22, was signed by the head of government and countersigned by Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah Alaoui. It grants a one-year period for the company's establishment from the date of publication in the Official Bulletin.
The industrial zones will host manufacturing activities and services related to the production of weapons, ammunition, and defense and security equipment.
This development represents a major step in Morocco's strategy to build sovereign capabilities in military technology and attract international investors to strengthen the country's defense production capacity.
ALEM, which has been operating since 1994 when it replaced the Military Housing and Equipment Fund, specializes in constructing housing for military personnel and developing infrastructure.
Meanwhile, MEDZ positions itself as Morocco's leading institutional investor dedicated to the development and management of industrial parks.
This is not the CDG subsidiary's first involvement in defense industry projects. MEDZ previously participated in a planned ultra-modern maintenance center for military aircraft and helicopters in Benslimane, in partnership with Belgian company Blueberry and American manufacturer Lockheed Martin, though this project has yet to materialize.
The creation of these specialized zones comes as Morocco has already begun attracting defense industry investments, including a recently announced project from Indian conglomerate Tata.
The project was also approved following the agreement of the National Agency for Strategic Management of State Participations, headed by Abdellatif Zaghnoun, along with the boards of directors of both MEDZ and ALEM. Tags: DefenseMoroccan MilitaryMoroccan Royal Armed Forces
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Biladi
3 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
French Minister Aurore Bergé visits Morocco to advance equality efforts
French Minister for Gender Equality and the Fight Against Discrimination, Aurore Bergé, is on an official visit to Morocco from June 23 to 25, 2025. The visit forms part of the strengthened and exceptional partnership initiated by the heads of state of both countries. During her stay, she will hold talks with senior Moroccan officials, including Nadia Fettah Alaoui, Minister of Economy and Finance, and Naïma Ben Yahia, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration, and Family. According to a briefing note issued ahead of the visit, Aurore Bergé will also focus on the role of women in the economy. Her agenda includes a visit to the Safran Nacelles Morocco industrial site, as well as discussions on women's training and their vital contribution to the Moroccan economy at the Institute of Aeronautics Professions. She is also scheduled to meet with civil society organizations working to promote gender equality. In addition, the minister will hold meetings with Amina Bouayach, President of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH); Mbarka Bouaida, President of the Association of Regions of Morocco and President of the Guelmim Oued Noun Regional Council; and Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary-General of the Rabita of Ulemas. She will also be received by André Azoulay, Advisor to King Mohammed VI. The visit is seen as a «key step toward bringing Morocco into the circle of countries that have adopted a feminist foreign policy», in the lead-up to an international conference on feminist diplomacy scheduled for Paris in October 2025, according to the same source. Aurore Bergé and Naïma Ben Yahia are also expected to announce a joint commitment to «strengthening Franco-Moroccan cooperation in training and prevention programs to combat all forms of violence against women».
Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Morocco World
Rabat Business School Celebrates 12th Graduation and First Business Analytics Cohort
Rabat – Graduates, families, and friends of Rabat Business School (RBS) gathered to celebrate the school's 12th graduation ceremony yesterday, June 21. The event drew nearly 2,000 attendees to the University of Rabat's (UIR) business school, including faculty and administrative staff, to honor 700 graduates. The graduating class, which was split between bachelor's and master's degree recipients, included two bachelor's programs and eight master's concentrations. This year, notably, was the first time that the school's Master's in Business Analytics was awarded. The day was not only a look towards the future for these graduates , but also a reflection of the community that supported them along the way towards this achievement. One of them was Hasnae Tenouri, who was in charge of coordinating their final projects. 'I am personally very happy to have witnessed their growth through the years at Rabat Business School,' she said in an interview with Morocco World News. 'We wish them all the best, and we hope to see them achieving all their goals and objectives.' Noureddine Mouaddib, President of UIR, honored the institution's accomplishments in his speech at the ceremony. 'The vision of creating an international standard university began in 2005 but came to fruition through the blessing of His Majesty Mohammed VI, who opened our campus in 2010 by laying the foundation stone,' he said. Mouaddib talked about the core mission of the university: innovation, quality education, and social impact. President Mouaddib also highlighted the high employability of UIR graduates. Within one year after graduation, he said, around 90% of UIR students land a job, a statistic that is in accordance with international benchmarks. A key component of the schoo l is its international focus, a facet that Associate Dean for Faculty and Accreditation Nacef Mouri elaborated to MWN. 'Our programs are taught predominantly in English, and that presents a first challenge that students readily surmount. With 22 countries represented among faculty and global participation in research, RBS achieved the prestigious AACSB accreditation in 2020, a recognition held by only 5% of business schools globally,' he said. He also touched upon UIR's high accreditation. 'We now pursue EQUIS and AMBA accreditations to be part of an elite few triple-crown institutions.' RBS Dean Nicolas Arnaud reaffirmed the significance of these accreditations: 'We were the first Moroccan business school to be accredited by AACSB and now wish to achieve double accreditation with EQUIS. This will place us in the top 1% of business schools in the world,' he told MWN. MWN also spoke with members of the graduating class about their achievements. Youssuf Moudden, top student from the inaugural Bachelor's in Business Analytics program, shared his experience and gratitude. 'RBS placed me time and again in leadership roles such as student ambassador and events organizer, which helped me realize my potential,' Moudden said.. 'I owe gratitude to these unlimited opportunities and am glad to have reached this milestone.' Since its founding, Rabat Business School has grown significantly, with the number of alumni now surpassing 8,000 graduates. UIR has performed significantly well in research and innovation, now standing as the top university in Africa for patent registrations, with 640 recognized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Tags: Rabat Business SchoolRBSUIR RBS
Ya Biladi
19 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
Morocco and CEMAC sign cooperation pact to boost economic ties and regional integration
A cooperation agreement was signed on Friday in Laayoune between the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) and the business associations of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) countries. This took place on the sidelines of the Parliamentary Forum on economic cooperation between Morocco and the regional bloc's Parliament. Signed by CGEM President Chakib Alj and representatives of the CEMAC business associations, the agreement establishes a Morocco-CEMAC Task Force as a joint platform for dialogue, coordination, and economic cooperation. Its mission is to structure collaboration, encourage information exchange, share best practices and business opportunities, support joint projects between companies from both regions, and serve as a proactive interface between Moroccan and CEMAC business communities. The agreement also creates a Steering Committee, co-chaired by a CGEM representative and one from each CEMAC business association. This committee will set up sectoral working groups, bringing together business leaders, experts, and institutional partners around priority themes. The parties commit to cooperating on identifying high-potential sectors of complementarity such as agro-industry, infrastructure, renewable energy, manufacturing industries, and digital services. They also pledged to facilitate business partnerships through matchmaking programs and B2B meetings, organize regular economic forums, and promote cross-investment, regional integration, and support for technology and skills transfer via training, expertise exchange, and industrial co-development projects. In a statement to MAP during the ceremony, Chakib Alj highlighted the complementarities between Morocco's and CEMAC economies, emphasizing the agreement to identify practical actions to boost economic ties. «Our goal is to create momentum between Moroccan companies and their CEMAC counterparts, fostering synergy and knowledge exchange», said the CGEM president. Similarly, Jean Daniel Ovaga, Chairman of the Congolese National Union of Economic Operators (UNOC), stressed that the agreement enables the private sector—a key driver of economic growth and value creation—to fully contribute to identifying priority cooperation sectors benefiting Morocco and CEMAC populations. «This is a strong commitment to move forward together, rebuild Africa, and bring growth and expertise to local communities», he stated. The Parliamentary Forum on economic cooperation between Morocco and the CEMAC Parliament aims to promote joint development projects and contribute to Africa's economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
