Truly, I was tongue-tied thinking about where to begin narrating a travel story about my visit to the roof of Africa, Tangier city in Morocco, where there are several major and astonishing socio-economic records in the Sahara.
Of course, not to point something out quickly, this writer selected some series of stories that could create a picture in the readers’ mind. If you could take some time to go through this story a serious read, perhaps wearing reading glasses and sitting in a hardback chair with your full and undivided attention. If so, you will reap a pleasure full of beans.
Since it is my fifth travel abroad, I don’t feel nervous about this flight when the plane took off and rose in the air higher and higher. Rather, I just relax and start watching the ground through the pane of the window. At some distance beneath me, the earth looks like a mat full of ornaments and small spots of beauty. The plane continues rushing straightforward through the air without a jolt. Immediately, the co-pilot announces that we can unfasten the seat belt and get relax.
I was eager to arrive shortly and see the beauty of Morocco which I heard in the story. Enjoying the food and drinks provided by Egypt-Air for more than three hours on air, the plane touched the ground at Cairo International Airport. Meanwhile, everybody on the plane together gives a round of applause to express their journey is safely completed. After several hours, the same moment also continues towards Casablanca, Morocco. The plane headed over the Mediterranean Sea and the Saharan Desert for about six hours.
Getting out of the plane at Casablanca airport, all the passengers are in a hurry to reach the next departure. While rushing towards the exit to finalize the immigration clearance, I see a slim young man hanging an A4 paper on both hands that put my name into French code. Then, I talk to him about myself and affiliation. The man (my travel agent) receives me with a warm welcome and takes me to a separate room where I should join my travel acquaintances.
In the room, there were about a dozen journalists from Africa and Europe waiting for their departure clearance. Resting scattered in a group of two or three, some speak French, the others in Arabic, Spanish and in other languages. After some time, our travel agent spoke us orderly to get into the bus waiting outside. On the most luxurious car, the group departed heading north from Casablanca to Tangier, a Moroccan port city.
The distance from Casablanca to Tangier is about 360 KM. It takes only three hours with such deluxe vehicles and well-constructed asphalt roads. If we compare the distance in Ethiopia, it may take 8 or 10 hours. Anyone, who visits Morocco for the first time, may consider that he or she is visiting in Europe; undeniably out of the dark and poor African continent.
Of course, an indelible life long memory remains in my heart and mind. With its majestic scenery and exotic religious culture, Morocco holds a unique character from sub- Saharan Africa. The views of the sea and the beaches that stretch to infinity catch my eyes and hold my attention to spend the night around the port singing the praises of the sea waves and watching families enjoying together in front of my room at Hotel Marina Bay.
Next day, after breakfast, our official tour of Tangier began; and we just heading across the city to discover the country’s industrial zone as well as its rich history and culture.
Our first visit was Tanger Med Platform, which is a port complex, developed over 1,000 hectares and aggregating Tanger Med 1 port, Trucks and Passengers port, and Tanger Med 2 port. Tangier is the home of many giant firms, specialized in different fields, including the automotive sector, one of Morocco’s key pillars.
During the visit, President of Tanger Med port Fouad Brini pronounces that the port can be considered as a world-class infrastructure on the strait of Gibraltar, making Morocco a leading port and industrial player in Africa and the Mediterranean.
Briefing journalists, Fouad says Tanger Med is a global logistics gateway located on the strait of Gibraltar and bridging Europe and Africa, distant by 14 KM. More than a port, Tanger Med complex is an integrated platform, connected to a multimodal transport network, including truck, train and container flows as well as a highway for the transport of goods and passengers.
As to him, this platform is developed under levers for the highest international standards; this hub is a powerful lever for the competitiveness of the Moroccan economy. Tanger Med serves as an industrial hub for more than 750 companies from different sectors, including logistics, trade, and textile. It also represents a trading volume of 5.5 million euro.
Fouad also describes that Tanger Med is connected to 186 ports worldwide with handling capacities of 9 million containers, exports of 1 million new vehicles, a transit of 7 million passengers and 700,000 trucks on an annual basis. Tanger Med constitutes a logistics hub for international players aiming to optimize their logistics network for exports and regional distribution and addressing Europe, Africa and the US.
Today, Tanger Med is the first port capacity in the Mediterranean. It is an industrial hub for more than 900 companies representing a yearly export turnover over 8.3 billion USD in various sectors such as automotive, aeronautics, agribusiness, logistics, textile, trade and services, Fouad disclosed.
“The automotive city lay in an area of 300 hectares, offering direct access to Tanger Med Port in 22 kilometres. The automotive city provides truck deliveries to Europe in less than 48 hours, which makes it an easy choice for international automotive firms.”
To date, more than 88 billion dirhams have been invested; 53 billion of which by private operators. The Tanger Med port has contributed to position morocco in the international maritime scene, connecting it to 77 countries and 186 ports. This has allowed Morocco to rise from 83rd to the 17th world rank worldwide, according to the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Fouad indicated.
With regards to port operations, Fouad states that Tanger Med 1 has processed 3.4 million containers in 2018, which represents exceptional productivity and position, becoming the first port in Africa followed by Port Seid on the Suez Canal, and Durban in South Africa.
Such dynamics will contribute to improving the logistical competitiveness of the African continent and facilitate Morocco’s integration in relations to global logistics corridors, while soon placing Tanger Med among the top 20 container ports worldwide.
For anyone who wishes to visit Tangier, it sits at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. If anyone who wishes to cross the sea towards Spain, it takes only 35 minutes by modern hydrofoil or two hours by normal ferry boat service.
Finally, with the help of our tour guide, we discover the hugely multicultural society composed of Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities, where they have kept and developed a tolerance for one another. Despite a lot remains about Morocco, I will stop narrating here due to space and time constraints.
The Ethiopian Herald August 3/2019
BY ZELALEM GIRMA
