HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Zerouih
The Moroccan League for the Defense of Human Rights, through its regional office in Nador and its local branch in Azghenghan, has called for the adoption of the principle of priority for local labor in job opportunities related to the Nador West Med port project. It expressed concern over recruitment announcements issued by the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) and published through regional agencies outside the area, raising questions about the extent to which the youth of Nador and Driouch will benefit from this strategic project.
The human rights body affirmed, in a statement to public opinion issued today, October 25, 2026, that the success of major projects should not be measured solely by the volume of investments and infrastructure, but also by their direct impact on the social and economic conditions of the local population, through providing decent job opportunities, ensuring equal opportunities, and achieving spatial justice. It stressed the necessity of adopting clear and transparent criteria that allow the region's youth to benefit from the jobs provided by the port and its associated economic activities.
The regional office and the local branch linked the provision of job opportunities for youth to reducing the drivers of irregular migration, considering that addressing this phenomenon cannot be limited to a security approach, but requires tackling its economic and social causes, foremost among which are unemployment, frustration, and weak professional integration opportunities. They also called for not limiting employment opportunities to holders of certificates and technical diplomas, while giving special attention to youth who have not completed their studies, by launching free and intensive training programs that enable them to acquire practical skills and recognized professional qualification certificates.
In the same context, the human rights body called for the establishment of a regional monitoring and coordination committee comprising local authorities, port management, ANAPEC, vocational training institutions, economic actors, and civil society representatives, with the aim of tracking job offers and training, and revealing the integration rates of the region's youth. It also called for transparently publishing recruitment announcements and selection criteria, strengthening the presence of women and young women in employment programs, and urging companies operating at the port to contribute to financing professional training and qualification and supporting vulnerable and marginalized groups affected by unemployment.
The Moroccan League for the Defense of Human Rights concluded its statement by emphasizing that the true development of the Nador West Med port requires transforming major investments into tangible job opportunities and social stability, while establishing a partnership that combines vocational training, employment, and support for local entrepreneurial initiatives and cooperatives. The body renewed its readiness to continue advocating for the guarantee of the right to work, equal opportunities, and the preservation of the dignity of citizens, considering that the integration of youth, including those without diplomas, is a fundamental gateway to achieving spatial justice and reducing irregular migration.
