Assahafa.com
An agreement on the implementation of the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP II) in Morocco was signed on Monday in Rabat, aiming to support the transition of Moroccan industrial parks into eco-industrial parks.
The agreement was signed by the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, the Swiss Ambassador to Morocco, Valentin Zellweger, and the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) country representative in Morocco, Sanae Lahlou.
This new project, a strategic milestone in the framework of long-standing cooperation between Morocco, the Swiss Confederation, and UNIDO, reflects a shared vision to promote a more competitive, resilient, and environmentally sustainable industry.
The programme seeks to improve the environmental and economic performance of industrial zones through resource efficiency, industrial synergies, and integrated management.
Implemented over three years (2026–2028) with an indicative budget of three million Swiss francs, GEIPP Morocco aims to promote circular economy approaches within industries, reduce the industrial sector’s climate footprint, and strengthen industrial parks’ capacity to adapt to climate change.
It will thus contribute to inclusive and sustainable industrial development based on circular economy principles. The initiative will also address the social dimension of development by meeting the country’s priority needs in this area.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Mezzour stated that the project continues efforts to progressively improve conditions for industrial operators, promoting increasingly clean production within industrial zones, noting that this approach has been jointly developed with UNIDO and Swiss cooperation, which have supported Morocco in implementing these initiatives.
Mezzour also emphasized the importance of measuring and reducing the carbon footprint of industrial activities, recalling that establishing tools to evaluate and certify these performances is essential for international recognition.
For his part, Ambassador Zellweger highlighted that this initiative confirms the shared commitment to work closely to strengthen economic competitiveness and promote job creation.
He noted that the project aims to make industrial parks greener, more sustainable, and more competitive, while also contributing to employment generation.
Meanwhile, Sanae Lahlou affirmed that the programme aims to support the transition of Moroccan industrial parks into eco-industrial parks, specifying that this approach focuses on reducing waste and CO2 emissions, optimizing energy and natural resource use, and developing business synergies within the framework of industrial symbiosis.
Lahlou stated that the initiative will strengthen corporate competitiveness while promoting decent job creation, noting that Morocco is today positioning itself as a model for sustainable industrial transition internationally.
The programme also seeks to strengthen a national ecosystem conducive to the development of eco-industrial parks, promoting synergies with public policies and existing national initiatives. It will align with technical and financial partners, including the World Bank Group and GIZ.
Through this initiative, the partners reaffirm their shared commitment to support the sustainable transformation of Moroccan industrial territories, enhance the competitiveness of the national industry, and increase its resilience to the effects of climate change.
Source: map
