Morocco, Comoros Pledge To Cooperate in Trade, Tourism, Energy

Rabat – Morocco and Comoros have signed 11 agreements in several sectors including trade, tourism, and energy to consolidate political and economic relations between the two countries.

Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and his Comorian counterpart Dhoihir Dkhoulkamal signed the agreements during the 1st session of the countries’ joint commission on March 31 in Dakhla.

“This commission reflects the consistent and favorable positions of Comoros on the territorial integrity of Morocco, given that the Union of Comoros is the first country to inaugurate its consulate in Laayoune,” said Bourita during a press conference.

Dkhoulkamal reiterated his country’s continuous support of Moroccan territorial integrity, adding that the Comoros consulate in Laayoune is “the perfect illustration” of such a stance.

The agreements look at how the countries could promote each other’s investments to advance sustainable development and employment in both countries.

The two chief diplomats also agreed on two memoranda of understanding in the trade and employment sectors to encourage knowledge sharing and create job opportunities in both markets

The agreements called for cooperation in the tourism sectors to promote the countries as attractive holiday destinations.

Since February 7, Morocco has been working to regain traditional tourism markets, such as France, as well as expanding to new ones, such as Israel, to help the sector recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another topic discussed in the agreements was the renewable energy, hydrocarbon, and mining sectors.

Morocco and Comoros expressed a shared interest in advancing partnerships in this sector following the global trend towards green energy.

Morocco is a leading African country in promoting renewable energies. The Kingdom has set ambitious goals to cut its greenhouse gas emissions and reinforce the country’s sustainable development goals guided by the New Development Plan.

By 2050 Morocco aims to produce 80% of its electricity from renewable sources.

Moroccan leadership in Africa extends to other sectors primarily sustainable development. The country has continuously called for cooperation with African countries with respect to values of solidarity and pragmatism.

The Comorian minister thanked King Mohammed VI and Moroccans “for supporting Comoros in its development, particularly through the Emerging Comoros Plan.”

The strategy lays out an inclusive roadmap for 2030 that prioritizes building local development infrastructure and attracting foreign investment.