Morocco and Mauritania are moving to deepen their industrial ties with plans to establish a joint industrial zone covering 800 hectares, officials said in Casablanca.
The project was announced during the 14th edition of SISTEP IMME 2026, an international exhibition focused on production technologies and mechanical, metallurgical and electromechanical industries. The event brought together companies and delegations from several countries, including Mauritania, China and Italy.
Cheikh Sidi Mohamed Ould Ahmedou, director general of industry at Mauritania’s Ministry of Mines and Industry, said work was underway to develop the joint industrial zone.
He said Moroccan companies would be given priority in setting up projects in the zone and would have the same rights as Mauritanian firms. Their investments would not be treated as foreign investments, he added.
The zone is also expected to give companies direct access to European markets through Morocco, Ould Ahmedou said, describing the planned facility as potentially “the largest in Africa.” He did not give a timetable for construction or disclose the expected investment value.
Abdelhamid Souiri, president of the Moroccan Federation of Mechanical, Metallurgical and Electromechanical Industries, said the talks also covered the creation of joint ventures and the development of the zone to help companies expand across African markets, particularly in the Sahel and West Africa.
Mauritania is the guest of honor at this year’s exhibition, which included a dedicated day on industrial cooperation between the two countries under the theme, “Morocco-Mauritania: From Industrial Integration to Joint Projects.” Discussions focused on building joint value chains in industry, mining and energy.
