On this occasion, the Monarch presided over the signing ceremony of two agreements. The first is related to a contract program between the State and the Confédération générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM) on the 2010-2015 logistics competitiveness development.

    The second agreement concerns a contract to implement the State-CGEM contract program on the development of zones of logistical activities in the great Casablanca. 

    HM the King visited, on this occasion, the site of Zenata's logistics zone, which spans on 323 ha.

    The new strategy aims to promote the optimal management of the flow of goods towards reducing the logistics cost from 20% of GDP currently to 15% by 2015.

     According to transport and equipment minister Karim Ghellab, who presented the broad lines of the strategy, it will result in a better price management and will contribute to preserving the purchasing power and reducing the number of middlemen.

    The strategy consists of five main points: developing a multi-flow integrated national network of logistics zones, optimising the flow of goods, encouraging the emergence of competitive logistics actors, upgrading human resources in the field, and setting up a framework of governance for the sector, the minister said.

    Some 70 platforms in 17 cities will be set up on 2,080 hectares, he said, adding that the new strategy is also meant to boost GDP's growth rate by 0.5 points a year.

    For his part, Mohamed Horani, CGEM Chairman, said the Moroccan economy is witnessing fast development, mainly in the field of infrastructure and transport, stressing the importance of logistics development, which "has become a prerequisite to economic, social and human development."

    He said the sector of foreign trade logistics has achieved significant progress thanks to the pioneering achievements of the Kingdom in many sectors, including the modernization of the customs system, the liberalization of the port sector, the rationalization of maritime transport and the development of the road transport of goods.

    This, he added, has enabled Morocco to develop a competitive logistics sector in the Mediterranean and on international markets.