Morocco’s industrial ambitions received a boost in January 2009 when King Mohammed VI launched the construction of Tanger-Med industrial park. Already the site of a significant port project, the new venture will boost output and increase exports to Europe. With strong trade ties to a diverse group of nations, including free trade agreements (FTAs) with the United States (US) and Europe, Morocco hopes to ride out the current recession by building infrastructure to support renewed trade levels in the future and by relying on consistent revenue streams, such as phosphates and derivatives. When complete in 2012, Tanger-Med will be among Africa’s largest ports, with a container handling capacity of 8.5 million, twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The port, just 14 kilometers from the Spanish coast, will greatly increase Morocco’s profile as an industrial destination and serve as a logistics center for the whole Mediterranean. The purchase of 30 square kilometers of
