The launch ceremony of this first stage took place in the presence of Advisor to His Majesty the King and founding President of the Essaouira-Mogador Association, André Azoulay, the Governor of Essaouira Province, Mohammed Rachid, local and regional elected officials, heads of relevant public services, economic operators, representatives of civil society, and local and security authorities.
Organized by the Marrakech-Safi Regional Investment Center (CRI-MS), this first stage, which will travel through all prefectures and provinces of the region, is part of a series of caravans scheduled across all regions of the Kingdom. The goal is to present the opportunities and support mechanisms available to businesses.
In a keynote address, Minister Zidane stated that this mechanism is a central part of implementing the provisions of the new Investment Charter, in line with the High Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, aiming to make productive investment a key pillar in stimulating the national economy and strengthening territorial equity.
“The Marrakech-Safi region, thanks to its touristic and economic attractiveness and the diversity of its business ecosystem, is among the territories with strong potential to support investment and generate new growth opportunities,” he noted, emphasizing that this positive momentum requires strong engagement from MSMEs so they can fully benefit from this mechanism and seize opportunities across the region’s productive sectors.
Speaking about the potential of Essaouira, the minister highlighted the city’s unique economic and cultural assets, noting that its strategic position, emblematic heritage and dynamic sectors make it a regional hub capable of attracting high-value investments.
He stressed the importance of ensuring better access to information for project holders and entrepreneurs, enabling them to easily navigate the support, financing and incentive mechanisms included in the new system. He recalled that this caravan serves as a proximity tool designed to directly address their needs.
Zidane further affirmed that the government remains fully committed to supporting regional initiatives aimed at stimulating investment, encouraging entrepreneurship and promoting inclusive growth, stressing that the success of this effort requires active involvement from all stakeholders in order to consolidate progress and open new development prospects across the Marrakech-Safi region.
For his part, the Director General of CRI Marrakech-Safi, Mahfoud Moussaid, provided a detailed presentation on the new mechanism, including its legal framework, main objectives, eligibility criteria, calculation method for grants, and the procedures for submitting applications via the digital platform “CRI-Invest.” He explained that the mechanism includes a grant system that may cover up to 30 percent of the investment amount, distributed across an employment creation bonus, a territorial incentive and a bonus dedicated to priority activities.
Meanwhile, the head of the CRI-MS regional office in Essaouira, Amal Bouizzem, welcomed the organization of the caravan in the city, describing it as an essential proximity tool that facilitates access to information, responds to entrepreneurs’ inquiries and clearly presents the advantages offered by the new mechanism.
The event also provided participants, including project holders, economic actors and students, with the opportunity to directly engage with CRI-MS teams, ask questions regarding access procedures and obtain clarification on administrative steps, eligibility criteria and available support opportunities.
This stage included the setup of advisory and support stations for entrepreneurs and investors to explain the mechanism and respond to questions related to obtaining access.
It was also announced that focal points will be deployed across all provincial branches of CRI-MS and at its headquarters in Marrakech to ensure effective communication throughout the implementation of the system.
Editorial team/le7tv