Some 30% of textile jobs at risk in Morocco, official

Morocco's Minister of Industry and Economy Upgrading warned that 30% of textile jobs and 20% of exports are at risk in the five coming years, if no proactive action is taken by the state and industrialists.

Salah Eddine Mezouar told international weekly "Jeune Afrique l'Intelligent" a new strategy will help not only save the sector jobs but also create between 70,000 and 100,000 additional jobs in the five or eights years following the dismantling of the multi-fiber agreements.

He also explained that Morocco has adopted globalization after a history of protectionism and a fabric of mostly small and medium-sized family-owned enterprises.

The minister stressed that the building of the Euro-Mediterranean space will help face competition from Asia, and particularly where textile and clothing wages are four times lower than those of Morocco.

Morocco has embarked on a series of free trade agreements with the USA, Turkey, Arab Mediterranean countries (Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Egypt) and is negotiating an FTA with the MERCOSUR countries (Brazil Argentine, Bolivia, and Chile).

The government is working to streamline the finances of enterprises, encourage risk-capital and support the development of SME's, he added, citing also a plan to stimulate the fight against informal firms.