Investment in Morocco

[2][3] In 2007 a bid to promote foreign investments, Morocco adopted a series of measures and legal provisions to simplify procedures[4] and secure appropriate conditions for projects launching and completing.

Morocco becomame an attractive destination for European investors thanks to its relocation sites "Casashore" and "Rabatshore", and to the very rapid cost escalation in Eastern Europe, Vice chairman of the "Groupe d'impulsion économique France-Maroc" (GIEFM) said in October 2008.

Most of the FDIs injected in Morocco came from the European Union with France, the major economic partner of the north African kingdom, topping the list with investments worth $1.86 billion, followed by Spain ($783mln), the report said.

The influx of European countries in Morocco's FDI represents 73.5% of the global amount received in 2007, according to the report which was presented by Souraya Ouali of the Direction of Investments.

A number of Arab countries, mainly from the Persian Gulf are involved in large-scale projects in Morocco, including the giant Tanger Med port on the Mediterranean.

Some analysts would add the Sunni affinity as another factor, but above all, it is the liberalized economy and the economic reforms in Morocco that appear to be attracting most of the investors from the Persian Gulf region.

Due to the oil prices, which climbed about 400% in eight years, member countries of the GCC (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman) accumulated considerable liquidity that has triggered the drive for diversification.