Morocco has taken a major step in its aerospace ambitions with the launch of Safran's new aircraft engine complex in Nouaceur, near Casablanca, presided over by King Mohammed VI. The 3.4 billion dirhams project, which includes a LEAP engine maintenance and assembly plant creating 900 jobs, cements Morocco's status as a leading aerospace hub hosting 150 companies and generating 26.6 billion dirhams in annual revenue. Morocco's aerospace ambitions reached a new milestone on Monday as King Mohammed VI presided over the launch of Safran Group's new aircraft engine industrial complex in Nouaceur, near Casablanca. The ceremony, attended by Safran Chairman Ross McInnes and CEO Olivier Andriès, marked the start of construction for two major facilities dedicated to LEAP aircraft engines: a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) shop, and a new assembly and testing plant. The future Safran Aircraft Engine Services Casablanca facility, first announced during French President Emmanuel Macron's 2024 visit to Rabat, will span 25,000 m² in the Casablanca airport zone. Scheduled to begin operations in 2027, it will service up to 150 engines per year and create 600 jobs by 2030, with an investment of around €120 million (1.3 billion dirhams). Safran also unveiled plans for a new LEAP-1A assembly line dedicated to Airbus A320neo aircraft, complementing its production site in France. Covering 13,000 m², the plant will assemble up to 350 engines annually and generate 300 skilled jobs by 2029, representing an investment of €200 million (2.1 billion dirhams). Building an ecosystem Together, these projects, worth over 3.4 billion dirhams, further consolidate Morocco's position as a strategic aerospace hub and reflect its 26-year partnership with Safran. Today, the Kingdom hosts 150 aerospace companies generating €2.5 billion (26.6 billion dirhams) in annual revenue and providing nearly 26,000 full-time jobs, mainly in Casablanca, Tangier, Rabat, and Fez. Safran alone employs 4,800 people across ten Moroccan sites, a partnership that began in 1999 with the creation of Snecma Morocco Engine Services, later renamed Safran Aircraft Engine Services Morocco. Morocco's aerospace industry has since expanded rapidly. MATIS Aerospace, a joint venture between Safran, Boeing, and Royal Air Maroc, marked the country's entry into manufacturing in 2001. Then came the 2004 Emergence Plan which established aeronautics as a «Global Business of Morocco», followed by the creation of GIMAS (Moroccan Aeronautical and Space Industries Group) in 2006 to structure and promote the sector. The National Pact for Industrial Emergence (PNEI), launched in 2009, built on this foundation by attracting global investors and diversifying the economy. It prioritized sectors such as aeronautics, automotive, and offshoring, offering targeted incentives and infrastructure to boost exports and job creation. Attracting major playors Within this framework, the Aviation Professions Institute (IMA) was established in 2011, a public-private partnership between the government, GIMAS, and Airbus, to train highly qualified technicians for the growing industry. In 2013, King Mohammed VI inaugurated the Specialized Institute for Aeronautics and Airport Logistics Professions (ISMALA), reaffirming the importance placed on developing human capital, a central pillar of the sector's competitiveness. Two years later, the Midparc Casablanca Free Zone opened in Nouaceur, becoming a leading aerospace hub in Africa and home to Airbus, Spirit AeroSystems, and Thales. The Industrial Acceleration Plan (PAI), launched in 2014, advanced this strategy through an ecosystem approach linking manufacturers, suppliers, and training centers across key areas such as engines, wiring, composites, and MRO. The landmark 2016 Boeing ecosystem agreement further integrated Morocco into the global supply chain, aiming to attract 120 Boeing suppliers and create 8,000 jobs. More recent partnerships, Sabca–Pilatus (2021), Collins Aerospace (2022), and the Safran Ecosystem (2023), have reinforced Morocco's position as a hub for advanced manufacturing, local supplier development, and technical training. These developments are reflected in the sector's growth. According to AMDIE, Morocco's aerospace revenue doubled from $0.9 billion (8.3 billion dirhams) in 2014 to $2.1 billion (19.3 billion dirhams) in 2023, with a 20 percent annual growth rate. Employment rose from 10,000 to over 23,000 workers, and local integration climbed from 17 to 40 percent. Industry Minister Ryad Mezzour noted that Morocco's aeronautics exports have surged from under 1 billion dirhams in 2004 to over 26 billion in 2024. He added that future plans include expanding into cabin outfitting, landing gear manufacturing, and possibly developing a final assembly line for commercial aircraft within the next decade.
