INTERVIEW-Morocco sees return to export growth next year

* Minister says employment still falling but crisis ending

* Business park openings on track, 22 to be launched by 2015 * Plans growing crackdown on black-market factories

By Tom Pfeiffer

RABAT, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Moroccan exports and industrial jobs will start growing again next year as business-friendly reforms help the north African country rebound quicker from the global economic downturn, its industry and trade minister said.

"In 2010, we will do better than 2009" in terms of exports, Ahmed Reda Chami told Reuters in an interview. "But Europe and the United States must not deal us a W-shaped crisis."

"We are exiting the crisis, still with jobs being destroyed, but the economy is taking off again... We will create jobs next year."

The government is building 22 specialised business parks with new road and rail links to a sea terminal near Tangier that promises to be the biggest port in the Mediterranean and Africa when it reaches full capacity.

It is trying to reverse Morocco's image as an unpredictable investment destination and get more foreign firms to open factories to benefit from its low costs and proximity to Europe, helping tackle persistent poverty and unemployment.

The global financial crisis hit just as the drive for new business was gathering steam. The government sees exports of textiles, car parts and electronic components falling by as much as 4 percent, 20 percent and 30 percent respectively this year.

Companies such as Nissan Motor Co. <7201.T> and Schneider Electric have delayed investments in Morocco and some textile firms that invested heavily to expand production have been caught out by the sudden drop in demand.

RECOVERY

Chami said the textile industry had been recovering since July and would return to being a net creator of jobs next year.

Automobile sector employment would grow as Renault and its subsidiaries prepare to take on staff for a factory near the Tanger-Med port that will build low-cost vehicles.

Tourism income is seen falling 10 percent this year and the government has scaled back the size and timeframe of a chain of new holiday resorts.

But Chami confirmed Morocco's 22 new industrial zones will all have been launched by 2015.

He said at least eight had already opened, specialising in industries ranging from fish processing to call centres, IT and aerospace parts, and that a plan to train 10,000 engineers per year by 2010 had already been reached.

Export logistic costs would fall close to those of Morocco's most competitive Mediterranean rivals by the end of the year when a roll-on, roll-off section of Tanger-Med opens, he said.

Tanger-Med handles mostly trans-shipment traffic and companies have complained of bottle-necks and shifting rules and regulations at Morocco's existing terminals.

"The logistics problem is about both costs and fluidity," said Chami. "Tanger Med is giving us an extraordinary competitive advantage."

He said he was putting more and more emphasis on stamping out informal and black-market industries in Morocco which serve mainly the domestic market.

"What is important is ... the 1 billion potential customers we have thanks to the free trade agreements we have signed," he said. "Government and authorities must take stronger measures against the informal sector." (Editing by James Jukwey)