Kenya is eager to fast-track OCP's fertilizer plant project
The Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, continued his economic tour in Morocco. On Wednesday, he posted on the platform X: «During my visit to the OCP headquarters in Casablanca, I had fruitful discussions with Mr. Ilyas El Fali, the group's Chief Strategy Officer, and Mr. Mohamed Hettiti, CEO of OCP Africa».
«At the heart of our discussions was the urgent need to accelerate the creation of a fertilizer blending plant in Kenya—a project expected to significantly reduce input costs and improve yields for Kenyan farmers», he added.
The minister emphasized that «this partnership marks a major step forward in ensuring Kenyan soils receive adequate, high-quality nutrients tailored to our unique tropical conditions, while also bolstering food security and empowering farmers».
Mudavadi affirmed «Kenya is on the right path to deepening its agricultural transformation through strategic collaboration with the Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP), a Moroccan leader in phosphate and fertilizer production».
This visit comes two days after Kenya announced its support for Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
As a reminder, a French media outlet revealed in April 2024 that OCP planned to construct a fertilizer production unit in Kenya. This project was reportedly to be announced during a visit by President William Ruto to Morocco—a visit that has yet to take place. At the time, the French publication noted that «the Kenyan Minister of Agriculture, Mithika Linturi, is working with his counterparts in Rabat and with Moroccan industry giant OCP to finalize the details of this future infrastructure».
Kenya could follow in the footsteps of Nigeria and Ethiopia—two African countries that benefit from Moroccan expertise in the fertilizer sector while maintaining their recognition of the «Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)».
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
28 minutes ago
- Morocco World
Textile: Valerius Morocco's New $10.27 Million Plant to Create 1,640 Jobs
Doha – Valerius Morocco inaugurated its new clothing manufacturing facility in Salé on Thursday. The ceremony took place in the presence of Morocco's Minister of Industry and Commerce, Ryad Mezzour. The project represents a total investment of MAD 102.72 million ($10.27 million). It will generate 1,640 new direct and indirect jobs in the region. The establishment of this manufacturing unit stems from an investment agreement signed between Valerius Morocco and the Moroccan government on July 27, 2021. This agreement was formalized under the Industrial Development and Investment Fund (FDII). In Lisbon in 2023, Morocco and the Portuguese textile group Valerius Texteis signed a MAD 1 billion ($100 million) agreement for a textile recycling project expected to create 1,500 jobs. Speaking at the inauguration, Minister Mezzour talked about the strategic importance of the textile sector to the national economy. 'With 227,460 jobs and MAD 45.9 billion ($4.59 billion) in export turnover, the textile sector occupies a strategic place in the national economy,' he stated. The minister noted growing interest from foreign investors, particularly Portuguese companies looking toward Morocco. 'Our country represents a strategic choice for Portuguese textile manufacturers seeking co-production opportunities to strengthen their proximity supply chains,' Mezzour added. Hammani Amahzoune, General Manager of Valerius Morocco, emphasized the benefits of the partnership. 'This partnership allows us today to produce for major brands and companies, whether based in the United States or Europe,' he said. Integrating design and creativity to boost Moroccan textile's global standing According to Amahzoune, quality is a major asset for the company. He revealed that Valerius Morocco has invested in equipment of European and American origin to excel in quality and attract more orders. He also stressed the importance of continuous training of human resources, which has generated interest from major international textile brands. Valerius Morocco is a joint venture between Moroccan company SG3H and the Portuguese international industrial group Valerius Group. The partnership combines expertise in industrial manufacturing, design, creativity, R&D, and marketing within the textile sector. The project falls within the Fast-Fashion ecosystem. Through this initiative, Valerius Morocco aims to strengthen its position as a manufacturer of women's and children's clothing, focusing on finished products that integrate design and creativity. Minister Mezzour expressed hope that this collaboration signals a fruitful partnership between Moroccan and Portuguese textile industries. He anticipates that the relationship will extend to other initiatives, such as the use of recycled fibers and ecological dyeing processes to reduce carbon footprint. Read also: Galician Textile Industry Turns to Morocco Amid Portuguese Industry's Crisis Tags: textile in Moroccotextile industry
Ya Biladi
an hour ago
- Ya Biladi
After updating Morocco's map to include the Sahara, France revises the Kingdom's total area
France continues to update its official data on Morocco following its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. After publishing the kingdom's complete map, including the southern provinces, on October 29, 2024, French diplomacy has now updated Morocco's official area on its website—raising it from 446,550 km² to 710,850 km². This update reflects the political decisions made by Paris, notably following the letter sent by President Emmanuel Macron to King Mohammed VI on July 30, 2024. Earlier this week, the French ambassador inaugurated a visa application office in Laayoune, marking another step in this policy shift. This opening follows the announcement of a €150 million investment in Morocco's Saharan provinces, made by the Director General of the French Development Agency (AFD) during a visit to Laayoune. It's worth recalling that in February, both the President of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, and the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, visited Laâyoune and Dakhla separately.
Morocco World
2 hours ago
- Morocco World
Fahd Mokdad Takes Helm at Allianz Maroc as New Director General
Doha – Allianz Maroc announced a major leadership change this week. Fahd Mokdad has been appointed Director General of the insurance company, effective May 29. He succeeds Abderrahim Dbich, who decided to pursue new opportunities outside the SanlamAllianz Group. Mokdad joined Allianz Maroc in 2013 as Head of Bancassurance. He later held several key positions within the company and across the African region. From December 2017 to April 2024, he served as Head of Bancassurance in Africa. Most recently, since March 2022, he worked as Director of Distribution and Partnerships at Allianz Maroc. The new Director General brings 25 years of experience in the banking and insurance sectors. Before joining Allianz, Mokdad worked at Credit du Maroc from 2004 to 2013. He held positions as Head of Sales/Branches from 2011 to 2013 and Head of Marketing and Products Development for the Retail Market from 2004 to 2011. His earlier career included roles at Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance as Marketing Manager for consumer credits from 2002 to 2004 and at BNP Paribas from 2000 to 2002, where he was responsible for retail marketing and development for the diaspora at BMCI. 'Fahd will continue to drive the Company's development while ensuring superior service quality for our policyholders and partners,' stated Allianz Maroc in their announcement. Read also: Philippe Dessevre to Spearhead Allianz Trade Global Reinsurance Division Mokdad holds a Master's degree in International Development from the Centre d'Etudes Supérieures du Commerce International (CESCI) and a Master's degree in Marketing from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce et de Marketing (ISTEC) in Paris, France, both obtained in 2000-2001. In his new role, Mokdad will focus on furthering Allianz Maroc's growth trajectory. The leadership transition marks a new chapter for Allianz Maroc, focused on innovation, customer proximity, and strengthening its presence in the national insurance landscape. Allianz Maroc acknowledged Dbich's contributions during his tenure, noting that his leadership and commitment helped accelerate the company's growth, consolidate its market position, and strengthen its resilience in the face of industry changes. The insurance firm has operated in Morocco for over 70 years. Since 2016, it has evolved under the Allianz banner, a global insurance leader with more than a century of presence in Africa. In 2023, the company became a subsidiary of SanlamAllianz joint venture, a major non-banking financial services provider operating in 27 African countries. Allianz Maroc now has 240+ well-trained General Agents and Direct Offices serving demanding individual and corporate clients. Tags: allianzinsurance industry
