Will China Invest in Moroccan Sahara?

A number of Chinese businessmen headed to Dakhla, south of Morocco, on a business visit that included holding meetings with officials of the Dakhla Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services an official to discuss investment opportunities and the possibility of establishing Chinese chamber of commerce in the city of Dakhla.

The meeting was attended by a group of officials in Dakhla, including the Chinese delegation visit to border crossing Guerguerat, the businessmen were informed on the great development achievements in these southern regions of Morocco, this meeting confirms the continuity of the Chinese trend and will towards strengthening the economic partnership with Morocco, making new Chinese investments area in the south of the country after it had boosted several important investments in the north of the kingdom.

Some economists believe that the American recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and the opening of a US consulate in the city of Dakhla is mainly for economic motives, which is the reason behind the interest in this region from countries, like Britain and China, as it has become an area of ​​attraction for major investments, especially after the great recovery of The Casablanca Stock Exchange since mid-December, coincided with the American recognition of Moroccan sovereignty on the southern provinces.

Dakhla is preparing to build the largest port in the south, 40 km north of the city, at a cost of 1 billion US dollars, Dakhla Atlantic port will include, according to official information, 1650m of wharfs with a depth of 12 meters. And for merchant ships to berth there would be a harbor of 600m long, and 12m in depth, the new port will turn Dakhla into a free commercial zone and a global hub for trade exchange across continents.

Experts believe that Tangiers and Dakhla will be the backbone of the Moroccan maritime economy, which His Majesty the Moroccan King Mohammed VI called to adopt as an economic policy, which would encourage China to strengthen its investment presence in Morocco, as the rate of Chinese investments in Morocco has nearly doubled in recent years, the project of “Mohammed VI Tangier Tech” is the largest investment of the Asian giant, at a cost of about 10 billion dollars, and will provide 100,000 job opportunities, as well as attract about 200 Chinese companies.