A major Chinese project in the province of Driouch is intended to expand the industrial base of the L’Oriental region and open up new export routes through the connection to the port of Nador West Med.
Driouch – In the economically challenging border region of L’Oriental, an industrial project was launched on Friday that is one of the most financially extensive in this sector in recent years. The Chinese Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group is investing around 6.7 billion dirhams in a new production complex through its subsidiary Goldensun Tire Morocco. The project in the Betoya industrial zone in the province of Driouch marks an attempt to integrate the previously structurally weak region in northeast Morocco more closely into international value chains.
Capacities and logistical connections as core factors
The planned factory covers an area of 52 hectares and is designed to have an annual production capacity of 18 million tires. The location was chosen strategically: the proximity to the future port of Nador West Med is intended to optimize exports to European and African markets. For investors, Morocco offers a stable platform to take advantage of logistical advantages at the interface of two continents, while the region benefits from the massive capital infusion.
Jobs in a region with a high need for development
The project is particularly important with regard to the local labor market. According to official figures, around 1,737 direct jobs will be created in a zone that is struggling with high unemployment among young adults. There are also hundreds of indirect jobs during the construction phase. The settlement is seen in political circles as a necessary impulse to slow down migration and to offer the local population a long-term perspective beyond the agricultural sector or informal trade.
Technology transfer and industrial sovereignty
Beyond pure manufacturing, the plan calls for the establishment of research and development units. According to the Minister responsible for investments, Karim Zidane, quoted by the MAP agency, the project contributes to the country’s “industrial sovereignty”. The aim is not only to act as an extended workbench, but also to strengthen the innovative strength locally through technology transfer.
Whether this major project has the hoped-for pull on further settlements will depend largely on the timely commissioning of the Nador West Med port and the quality of local training. Completion of the factory is scheduled for early 2026.
