Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, emphasized on Friday in Marrakech the importance of strengthening entrepreneurial initiatives as a key driver for job creation and economic transformation.
Speaking at a meeting organized by Réseau Entreprendre Maroc, attended by numerous actors from the national entrepreneurship ecosystem, the minister noted that the national economy can generate around 250,000 jobs annually during its best years. However, this figure remains insufficient compared to the annual influx of new entrants to the labor market, including nearly 180,000 higher education graduates and over 330,000 young people from vocational training programs.
Faced with this imbalance, considered one of the country’s main challenges, Mezzour stressed the collective responsibility of public and private actors to multiply opportunities, encourage initiative, and support those who create value and jobs.
He also highlighted the central role of companies in job creation, while noting that startups remain fragile in their early years. He emphasized the importance of support, mentoring, and networks such as Réseau Entreprendre Maroc.
Recalling Morocco’s human capital potential, the minister said the country has talented entrepreneurs capable of developing world-class technologies and demonstrated that Moroccan know-how can compete at the highest level. He added that Morocco has already successfully undertaken major transformations in strategic sectors such as automotive and aerospace.
According to Mezzour, the next step requires stronger collective mobilization, increased trust in entrepreneurs, and support for a new generation of wealth creators. He concluded that support networks have the expertise and capacity to identify talent, provide guidance, and enable them to contribute to economic development.
Organized to mark twenty years of Réseau Entreprendre Maroc’s commitment to entrepreneurship, the event brought together nearly 200 participants from the national ecosystem, including business leaders, entrepreneurs supported by the network, institutional and private partners, and figures engaged in economic development and employment.
Held under the theme “20 Years of Boldness and Impact,” the meeting highlighted the network’s contribution to the national entrepreneurial landscape, through mentoring hundreds of entrepreneurs, mobilizing volunteer business leaders, and providing loans to strengthen companies’ equity and help them grow.
A roundtable also gathered former presidents of the network to discuss two decades of entrepreneurial engagement and share a common vision on creating jobs and value.
