HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
In an initiative that reflects the spirit of responsibility and insistence on launching stalled development projects, Saïd Amazazi, the Governor of the Souss-Massa region and the Governor of the Prefecture of Agadir Ida Outanane, paid a field visit today, Monday, October 27th, to the Arkan Center in Azrarak in the municipality of Draa, as part of efforts to revive this pioneering royal project which has been closed since 2015, despite its symbolism and economic, social and cultural importance.
– Royal project with a renewed development vision
His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect him, laid the foundation stone for this center in 2006, to be a space for the valuation of the Argan tree, this blessed tree that has become a global symbol of environmental balance and Moroccan intangible heritage.
Today, the governor's initiative to reopen the center comes as a strategic step aimed at transforming it into an economic, tourist and cultural hub that serves local development and restores life to the Azrarak area and its surroundings.
– Exceptional location within the Argan Biosphere Reserve
The Argan Center is located in the heart of the Argan Biosphere Reserve classified by UNESCO, which gives it rare environmental value and rich natural and tourist qualifications.
It is expected that this space will be valued through the establishment of a pedagogical farm, environmental paths, workshops for traditional industry, a museum, an astronomical dome, and facilities for the valuation and marketing of local products, making it a unique tourist destination and a center for cultural and economic radiance in the region.
– Job opportunities and new dynamics
The project is expected to create, after its reopening, more than 80 direct jobs and about 250 indirect jobs, in addition to supporting women's cooperatives working in the field of producing and marketing Argan oil and its derivatives, which will contribute to empowering rural women and improving living conditions within the community.
– Participatory governance to ensure success
During his visit, Governor Amazazi called for a collective mobilization of all local actors, elected institutions and the private sector, in order to develop a participatory vision that ensures the sustainability and effectiveness of the project, stressing that the Argan Center should become a regional and national model in solidarity economy and sustainable development.
– A new revival of a symbol of Souss-Massa
With this step, the Argan Center project is brought back to the forefront of development after years of stagnation, in a clear message that royal projects are not only infrastructure, but real levers to change the reality of humans and society.
The initiative of the Governor of the region confirms that Souss-Massa is moving steadily towards a development model that combines preserving heritage and supporting innovation and the green economy, in perfect harmony with the high royal directives and Morocco's vision for a sustainable and balanced future.
