Rabat – Pakistan’s Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has urged Moroccan investors to explore economic opportunities in his country.
Recalling the long-standing economic and diplomatic ties between Morocco and Pakistan, Sanjrani stated that Pakistani tourists and businesses have expressed interest in discovering growth opportunities in Morocco.
Sanjari addressed the Moroccan business ecosystem during a bilateral meeting with the President of Morocco’s House of Councilors Enaam Mayara on the sidelines of the World People’s Consultative Assembly forum in Bandung, Indonesia.
Sanjari’s call to strengthen ties with Rabat highlights Pakistan’s interest in advancing bilateral cooperation in defense and different economic activities. This interest has a particular focus on fertilizer production, since Pakistan’s Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim shares a joint venture with the state-owned mining and fertilizer giant OCP in Al Aljadida Jorf Lasfar.
Islamabad’s interest in the Moroccan partnership underlines the country’s “Engage Africa” policy. This strategy aims to take advantage of Africa’s abundant resources and emerging markets by consolidating Pakistan’s diplomatic and economic representation in the continent’s top 10 economies. Besides Morocco, Pakistan aims to boost its presence in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.
On Monday, senior officers from Pakistan’s Foreign Office noted that Pakistan has opened five new missions and six commercial wings in Africa in recent years. During the briefing, led by the Chairman of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee Mohsin Dawar, they highlighted that the country has established an RS100 million ($453 million) Africa Fund to support its partners.
The meeting also noted that four African countries – Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, and Mozambique – are among Islamabad’s major trade partners. Morocco, for instance, is one of Pakistan’s leading import partners alongside South Africa and Kenya.
In 2020, Moroccan exports to Pakistan amounted to $318M with phosphoric acid, chemical fertilizers, and calcium phosphates topping the list of traded goods. Meanwhile, Morocco imported $38.9 million worth of Pakistani products, primarily woven cotton and rice.
Pakistan’s efforts to expand its investments and partnerships with African countries appear to be a move to counter its primary rival India’s growing interest in the continent. Morocco is likely to capitalize on the India-Pakistan race given that Rabat often serves as a “gateway” to Africa and a bridge to Europe.
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