Speaking at the meeting of the Committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Mining and Environment in the House of Representatives, devoted to the review of the reality and prospects of road transport and logistics, Abdeljalil stressed that his department is looking at appropriate solutions to the structural problems faced by this sector, to accelerate its reform and make it more resilient to future challenges and crises related to economic fluctuations, technological development, sustainable transport and international competition.
He also highlighted the important role of the transport and logistics sector in strengthening the competitiveness of the national economy and the supply of goods and commodities throughout the country, as well as its vital role in the mobility of citizens, especially the opening up of rural and mountainous areas.
In this context, the minister noted that in addition to the major projects launched over the past two decades in the field of transport infrastructure, under the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, large-scale structural projects have been implemented to ensure the reform of the sector of road transport and logistics, citing in this regard the projects of liberalization of road transport of goods, the transformation of the National Office of Transport to the National Company of Transport and Logistics and the implementation of an innovative road code.
Abdeljalil recalled the establishment of an ambitious and proactive national strategy to develop competitiveness in logistics, to activate the strategy and plans for road safety and to establish the Moroccan Agency for the development of logistics activities and the national Agency for road safety.
He said that despite the reforms and initiatives put in place, the performance of the road transport sector and logistics “is still below expectations and suffer from a structural deficiency, limiting its competitiveness and efficiency,” stressing that the Ministry has developed a vision on strengthening the role of the sector as a real lever for development of the Kingdom, reflected in the development of integrated and sustainable transport and competitive logistics to support economic growth and contribute to the improvement of citizens’ living standards.