Morocco's Dakhla, strategically located on Morocco's Atlantic coast, is especially attractive to investors looking to root their operations in Africa and import into European markets.

Morocco's massive infrastructure projects in its southern regions are slowly transforming Dakhla into an investment hub for entrepreneurs looking to bolster their operations on the African continent while maintaining a foothold in European markets, according to a recent report by the consulting firm Oxford Business Group (OBG).

With the Dakhla Atlantic Port mega project set to enter service in 2028, many investors around the world are marking the date in their business calendar to expand their operations in sub-Saharan African countries.

The port reflects Morocco's vision for the future to diversify commercial activities in the region.

The technologically advanced port is expected to experience high traffic of 2.2 million tonnes of traded goods in its first year of entry into service, establishing a sea bridge between Africa and Europe.

As of 2020, Dakhla relied heavily on fishing and agriculture, with fishing alone accounting for 27% of the region's gross domestic production (GDP), according to Oxford Business Group.

However, despite its relatively small population, representing only 0.5% of the 37 million, Dakhla's GDP ratio to the entire country remained at 1.3 in 2019.

With two-thirds of the population under the age of 15, the young demographic adds to the region's appeal as an investment destination.

Despite witnessing major infrastructure projects and being part of the world's largest Free Trade Zone, Dakhla remains among the top 10 most underrated destinations, according to OBG.

In an effort to promote the city as a tourist destination, Morocco in 2020 launched a public tender for the development of the Marina Complex, a leisure complex along the city's coastline. 

Source: Morocco World News