In commemoration of the National Trader’s Day, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce organized, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of the Fez-Meknes region, on Friday, June 28, 2024, a meeting in Fez, under the theme: “Trade in the ancient Medinas: a fundamental lever for economic development”.
This event was chaired by the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr. Ryad Mezzour, in the presence of the Wali of the Fez-Meknes region, Mr. Said Zniber, the President of the Council of the region, Mr. Abdelouahed El Ansari , the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of the region, Mr. Hamza Benabdellah, the Chairman of the Management Board of Al Barid Bank, Mr. Al Amine Nejjar, the President of the Federation of Moroccan Chambers of Commerce , Industry and Services, Mr. Lhoucine Alioua and the President of the General Union of Businesses and Professions, Mr. Mly Ahmed Afilail.
It also brought together several players in the sector, representatives of professional associations of traders, ministerial departments, public institutions, as well as experts, academics and private operators in commerce and distribution.
On this occasion, Mr. Mezzour underlined that trade in the old medinas represents an essential pillar of the local economy and that its development not only preserves the national heritage, but also creates employment opportunities and stimulates tourist attractiveness. , cultural and urban of the Kingdom’s cities.
And to add that the Ministry is committed to promoting the fundamental importance of this commercial activity, supported in particular by the Royal project for the rehabilitation of the old medinas, by strengthening the commercial infrastructure and supporting professionals in the sector so that they can better adapt to rapid changes in global business models.
This edition of the National Trader’s Day was an opportunity to take stock of the situation of trade in the ancient medinas of the Kingdom and to discuss ways to increase their commercial attractiveness in order to boost the local economy. In addition, it highlighted the assets and potential of these cities and explored mechanisms to develop their commercial activities.
This day was marked by the signing of several partnership agreements aimed at developing the trade sector. Two agreements on supporting local trade were signed between the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Al Barid Bank Group, the Moroccan Company for the Distribution and Transport of Goods and Messengers, the ATACADAO brand and the MARJANE Holding brand.
These two agreements aim to strengthen the competitiveness and agility of local businesses through integrated support for traders. This includes improving their access to the brands’ purchasing centers to benefit from their negotiating power and expertise, financing through overdraft facilities, financial inclusion, digitalization of supply and structuring of delivery.
Another framework agreement on the financing of traders was signed between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Services, the National Union of Traders and Professionals, the General Union of Enterprises and Professions, the Moroccan Space of Professionals and the Al Barid Bank Group.
The main objective of this partnership is to develop a banking offering aimed at merchants, in order to provide them with financing services and efficient, easy-to-use digital payment solutions that meet their needs.
Furthermore, let us recall that remarkable progress has been made in the development of the trade sector. Starting with the social coverage project with 300,000 people who have joined the compulsory health insurance system. In terms of digitalization, 110 start-ups were incubated as part of the national platform dedicated to the digitalization of the commerce sector, Moroccan Retail Tech Builder (MRTB), with the objective of reaching 150 start-ups by end of 2024. Finally, nearly 4,000 merchants have been integrated into the e-commerce ecosystem, through training and the acquisition of the skills necessary to sell via the Internet and use digital platforms.
