El Foro España-Marruecos de Dajla: gran oportunidad de refuerzo de relaciones económicas para potenciar la inversión en las provincias del sur marroquí

The Spain-Morocco Forum in Dakhla has been a great meeting that has allowed various public figures and representatives of various organisations and private enterprise to share the great opportunities offered by the southern provinces of the Alawi kingdom and to deepen economic relations between two neighbouring countries and allies such as Spain and Morocco.

Atalayar was able to talk to some of the most prominent attendees at the event held in Dakhla.

Mohamed Cherif: "The Spain-Morocco Forum in Dakhla is very important to strengthen ties with Spanish investors"

Mohamed Cherif, founding member of the Movement Saharawi for Peace, during the Spain-Morocco Forum gave an interview to Atalayar in which he highlighted the great relevance of the Spain-Morocco Forum in Dakhla as an option to strengthen economic relations with Spanish investors. 

What is your assessment, as president of the Movement Saharawi for Peace, of the Spain-Morocco Forum held in Dakhla?

It is a very important forum for strengthening ties with Spanish investors and also with our neighbours in the Canary Islands, with whom we have always worked very closely. I am delighted to see so many Spanish entrepreneurs in the southern provinces of Morocco. 

What do you hope to get out of this meeting?

The aim of the forum is to show Spanish investors the possibilities that the region offers in terms of development. 

What does a region like Dakhla offer to a Spanish businessman?

The Dakhla region offers various possibilities in the field of fishing, where many projects are being developed in this direction, as well as in the agricultural sector and in the services sector. Projects are also being initiated in the field of renewable energies and in the logistical development of the region through the construction of a new port "Dakhla Atlantic", something very important that puts the region in the sights of many investors. In addition to all this, investors who decide to export their business activity to the region have many tax advantages as part of the investment attraction policies.

Do these kinds of forums, the arrival of Spanish businessmen and all the dynamics that the region is picking up contribute to resolving the conflict and that you can be reunited with your Sahrawi relatives in Tindouf? The Movement Saharawi for Peace also represents the Saharawis, not just the Polisario Front. 

Our movement is a new political trend in the Saharawi context. In the past, people thought that the Polisario Front was the only representative of the Saharawi people, but it is clear that our organisation, the Movement Saharawi for Peace, is growing. We have more than 4,000 activists in the region alone, which is why we have the right to participate in negotiations with the United Nations and find a viable solution to end the suffering of so many families. 

Is Morocco's proposal for broad autonomy over the Sahara the solution?

Of course, Morocco's proposal is a credible, pragmatic and achievable proposal. The Movement Saharawi for Peace agrees with this solution because it is practicable and real for those involved in the conflict over the Sahara. 

Dakhla offers security, stability and enormous possibilities?

Of course it does, Dakhla is a region like an autonomy almost, there is a regionalisation in these provinces that allows us to have all these conditions of security, stability and new opportunities. Surely, if there is a wider autonomy, it would be more appropriate for the Saharawis because what we would like is that all our relatives who are in subhuman conditions in the Tindouf camps can participate in this race for the development of the region. 

Joaquim Monclus, head of investment at Ok Mobility Group: "We are faced with a Moroccan government that is eager to do things"

Joaquim Monclus, head of investment at Ok Mobility Group, a company dedicated to mobility, spoke to Atalayar about the Spain-Morocco Forum in Dakhla and warned about the great investment opportunities promoted by the Moroccan government. 

What have you found in Dakhla, and are there opportunities for your company to develop its activity?

Yes, we have met a Moroccan government that is very keen to do things, they have told us that there is a lot of interest in investing from the public side. Now what is needed is for private investment to support this destination, which, both in terms of tourism and the construction of the new Atlantic Port, I believe does open up expectations for investment in many areas, including, of course, mobility. 

The issue of mobility is essential if you want to plan any type of activity and development, mobility is fundamental. 

Mobility begins with public infrastructure; here, an extension of the road network has already been implemented that connects Rabat with Casablanca and reaches as far as Dakhla. From there, that is mobility from a public point of view. Then, if we talk about development from a tourist point of view, there must be elements that make tourists feel comfortable. The ability to move around the area, and here we would be talking about any type of mobility, mainly rental vehicles, is essential to develop quality tourism.  

Even for entrepreneurs who need transport elements for their goods. 

Indeed, I was focusing more on our sector and individual mobility, but it is true that the entire logistics transport part of industrial development is essential. 

Has the government's decision on the Sahara put an end to this bottleneck and now businessmen can look towards the region with other perspectives?

I think it was a necessary decision; two neighbours as close as Spain and Morocco needed to normalise their relationship. Obviously, for businessmen to invest, the most important thing is for relations between the countries to be as fluid as possible. 

Sergio Montesinos, business manager of Agritech Murcia: "What we have found in Dakhla is an investment and technology opportunity for a company like Agritec"

Sergio Montesinos, business manager of Agritech Murcia, took part in the Spain-Morocco forum in Dakhla and highlighted the good investment ecosystem that has been found in the region and the good Moroccan predisposition.

What have you found in Dakhla?

Above all, what we have found is an opportunity for investment and technification for a company like Agritech with a development for the next 25 years. There is an enormous opportunity, a very high level of accessibility and we think that being a geographical point so close to Spain allows us to offer a service and attention to the market with enough presence and quality. 

With the experience and capacity that Agritech Murcia has, what projects could you develop in Dakhla?

After the experience we have, more than 40 years, designing, producing and executing projects at an international level, we think that we would be able to transfer our successful business model, which we have already carried out in Murcia and in other areas such as Mexico and Egypt, where we have executed more than 10,000 hectares of new greenhouses, we would be able to implement a sustainable business model that guarantees food security for the population in the coming years. 

If this whole region develops and evolves in terms of tourism, logistics, renewable energies, population, etc., is there enough water to be able to undertake this development?

Of course we would have to study the capacity of the aquifers in the area; apart from that, we know that there is a proposal to build a desalination plant, let us remember that this area is open to the Atlantic, therefore, we will have desalination capacity and water capacity. Even with all these elements, it is true that an analysis of the resources is needed to feed this production scheme.

Does the Spanish Government's decision help Agritech Murcia to explore new business options in Morocco?

Indeed, political decisions often have an impact on the business world. In this case, it has undoubtedly had an impact and it allows a degree of accessibility of entry by eliminating barriers to commercial entry that might otherwise exist and which do not exist here. Therefore, this is a favourable situation, although of course any political decision is beyond our control. 

After this first impression, what steps do you think can be taken so that Agritech Murcia can decide to invest in Dakhla?

The next step would be to be able to convey to Morocco the reality of what we can develop in the country, to sign a memorandum or a collaboration agreement that would allow us to draw up a roadmap for our participation in the process. Defining strategies, needs and what steps can be taken throughout this process.