Morocco only to register ‘significant’ FDI rise in region in H1 2011- Mediterranean investments observatory

PERSISMA, Paris – Morocco “stands out” from the rest of North African and the Middle Eastern countries in registering a “significant rise” in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects during the first half of 2011, underscored the ANIMA-MIPO, the Observatory of investment and partnerships announcements in the Mediterranean.

With a rise of 23% in FDI compared to the same period in 2010, Morocco differentiates itself from the other Maghreb and Mashreq countries, the Observatory said in its Review of Investment and Partnership Announcements.

Morocco “keeps investors trust and attracts the third largest number of FDI announcements after Turkey and Israel, confirming the promising positive trend recorded in 2010,” the same source went on to say.

The Observatory added that the FDI amounts remain largely under those registered before the crisis, with only 500 million Euros announced between 1 January and 31 June 2011.

Concerning other countries in the region, the effects of democratic upheavals and of current transitions were noticeable on the trend of FDI and partnerships, explained the Observatory, noting that “the fall in the number of announced projects is substantial in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, which went back to a level corresponding to the first half of 2009.”

Source: MAP