At Dakhla, 1,300 kilometres south of Casablanca, hundreds of construction workers are racing to turn a relatively remote stretch of coastline into a major conduit for international trade.
Morocco is investing 1.6bn into the Dakhla Atlantic Port as it seeks to modernise its infrastructure ahead of the 2030 World Cup. In an interview with African Business , Nisrine Iouzzi, director of the port, says the maritime hub will prove to be a "cornerstone" of efforts to develop the regional economy.
"In our southern provinces, we have very good and big opportunities to make trade with Africa," says Iouzzi. She adds that Morocco has developed a 2030 vision for ports in the country, noting that the Dakhla project will be key to the "development model" of the local region as the government seeks to spread growth opportunities around the country.
