MOROCCO

  1. ...Three Diaspora-based consulting companies (two in Morocco, one with head office in Germany and extension office in Nador) have been assisted in their initial phases. Specific services for Diaspora investors have been introduced through the Nador-based “House of Moroccans residing abroad”. The most important Investment Centre in the region (in Oujda) has been supported to develop a new marketing strategy and to set up a new web site.
  2. The “Agence de l’Oriental” and the Regional Investment Centre have elaborated an investors’ guide which indicates investment opportunities in the Region for SMEs and Moroccans residing in Europe.
    A comprehensive investment guide has been elaborated by “Agence de l’Oriental” with support of UNCTAD and with substantial project assistance. The project itself published several investment opportunities based on the above mentioned participatory diagnostics which were featured on its website (www.mideo.ma), too. Two Investment Centres were supported through intensive training programmes on Business Plan analysis and interpretation.
  3. The banks are involved in innovative finance operations for SMEs.
    Local banks didn’t show any interest in innovative finance operations. They rather saw the project assisting in business plan preparation of potential investors. One training programme in this respect has been conducted showing little impact due to investors’ mistrust in reliable banking support and because of the investors’ fear in theft of business ideas. The project financed a study on innovative banking products (special fund fed by proper bank capital and Diaspora savings) without resulting in any positive echo.
  4. The “Agence de l’Oriental” and the Regional Investment Centre with the assistance of the “King Hassan II Foundation for the Moroccans residing in Europe” have mobilised the potential contributions of Moroccans in Europe, particularly of those residing in Germany, (namely investments and know-how) while using structured work relationships with the actors of the Diaspora (association, business people, …).
    The project experimented successfully with the sponsoring of two week-long stays of competent Diaspora members sharing their know-how with local institutions and enterprises (tourism, agriculture, IT, real estate, others). ...