French carmaker Renault said it will gradually reopen its production plants in Tangier and Casablanca amid strict protective measures against the coronavirus pandemic. Renault has closed the two plants last month amid a global shutdown due to the consequences of the coronavirus, which disrupted supply of vehicle parts and demand for cars. The company said it will maintain jobs of 12,000 people working in its Morocco plants. The investment by Renault and the other French car manufacturer PSA helped attract a network of car suppliers creating clusters in Tangier and Kenitra. However, the impact of the coronavirus cast a shadow of uncertainty over the global car industry as demand for cars decline.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 18, 2020 15:00 UTC