Published in the January 6, 2025 edition of the Official Bulletin, the decree was signed by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah, and Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour.

Decree 2-23-725, which amends Decree 2-18-738, defines the boundaries of the zone, covering an area of 305 hectares within the municipality of Drarga, in the Agadir-Ida Outanane prefecture.

The decree specifies that the land will be extracted from land titles 2351/S and 229927/09, in addition to the plots designated for the first phase of the project, namely land titles 240324/09 and 239783/09. The area is bordered to the north by National Road No. 11 connecting Agadir to Marrakech, to the east by the Souss-Massa agropole, to the west by Tagadirt, and to the south by Tadouart.

Within this area, 100 hectares will be allocated for the development of Agadir’s dry port. A coastal shipping route will connect the dry port to the ports of Tangier and Casablanca. This project is expected to be the driving force behind investment in the acceleration zone, especially since the Agadir seaport cannot be expanded due to land constraints and planned infrastructure projects in the surrounding area.

Highly anticipated, the dry port will be one of the key pillars of the Souss-Massa Industrial Acceleration Zone. The establishment of the free zone will enable manufacturers in the Souss region to connect with international logistics and freight platforms.

Food industry, automotive, renewable energy…

Moreover, the main reason for the delay in adopting Decree 2-23-725, which amends Decree 2-18-738 establishing the « export free zone »—now renamed the « industrial acceleration zone »—was the desire to expand the text by incorporating new activities that were not specified in the previous, withdrawn decree.

Officially, the industrial acceleration zone is set to accommodate activities related to the food and agri-food industries, chemicals and petrochemicals, the automotive industry, aeronautics, equipment for renewable energy, textiles, construction, the metallurgical, mechanical, electrical, and electronics industries, as well as port-related and plastics industries. The only addition to the initial text concerns activities linked to Agadir’s dry port.

Does this minor addition truly justify the delay in adopting the decree? That is for each person to judge. For now, dozens of plots ranging from 1,482 to 74,643 square meters are being offered for sale at prices between 450 and 900 dirhams per square meter. The publication of the decree establishing the industrial acceleration zone will undoubtedly attract even more investors.

Written in French by Amine Belghazi, edited in English by Eric Nielson