Rabat — Morocco’s Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Omar Hejira confirmed the country’s commitment to boost a strategic, balanced, and productive partnership between Africa and Turkiye.
Taking part in the launch of the fifth Turkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum (TABEF) in the Turkish capital city of Istanbul, Hjira said the partnership between Africa and Turkiye should be based on common development and added value.
Hejira recalled that Morocco’s south-south cooperation initiative, especially with African countries, has been its pillar in foreign policy. He also indicated that the North African country has a strong belief that sustainable development in the African continent is founded on responsible and beneficial partnerships.
The Moroccan official further explained that the Afro-Turkish relations, which are based on trust and mutual respect, are witnessing a steady growth.
In this sense, he referred to the volume of trade exchange that reached approximately $33 million.
Cooperation between Turkiye and Africa is promising, he added, noting that it includes several sectors, including trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, and new technology.
Hejira also promoted Morocco’s Atlantic vision as a launchpad for a three-lateral cooperation. The vision can open areas of partnership between Morocco, Turkiye, and Africa, including the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare sovereignty, food security, energy transition and renewable energies, textiles, automobiles, and electronics.
Maritime links, as well as the Tangier and Nador ports and the upcoming Dakhla Atlantic Port, are likely to boost this cooperation, he noted.
Morocco is well-positioned as a preferred gateway for Turkish companies to African markets due to its economic resilience and the renovated infrastructure, as well as the various trade agreements.
Trade relations between Morocco and Turkiye have seen developments in recent months. In June, the two sides agreed on new measures to balance and boost trade during a meeting in Ankara.
Hejira and Turkish Deputy Minister of Commerce Mustafa Tuzcu committed to increasing trade between their countries to over $5 billion.
The two sides made this commitment as part of efforts to revive the free trade agreement (FTA) with Turkiye.
Initially signed in 2004, the agreement took effect in 2006, and was subject to several amendments five years ago, including the introduction of a 90% tariff on Turkish textile and clothing imports to protect Moroccan manufacturers and jobs.
