The French car manufacturer, Renault, has launched with great pomp the largest automotive manufacturing platform in Africa, with a nearly €1.2 billion investment in Tangier, northern Morocco.
The project, which should be operational in early 2012, has assembly line factories built on 314 acres of land, with an ambition to produce 170,000 vehicles in its first phase and eventually reach 400,000 vehicles per year.
More than 6,000 direct jobs and 30,000 indirect jobs will be generated by this mega public-private partnership project.
The new plant is expected to export around the world, including to Africa and Europe.
A training center for automotive trades has also been launched at a cost of €7.5 million.
The project, whose implementation is scheduled for 2010, comprises 22 schools and 8 skill training workshops for maintenance.
The Japanese automaker, Nissan, had withdrawn earlier this year of its project with Renault amid the global financial crisis.
The maintenance project is a “strong signal” of confidence enjoyed by Morocco, says one in Rabat.
Morocco annually attracts more than 3 billion dollars of foreign investment.
Source African Press Agency
