Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Industry Moulay Hafid Elalamy and Equatorial Guinea’s Foreign Minister Simeon Oyono Esono Angue held a meeting on Monday to discuss means to reinforce industrial cooperation.
The two officials emphasized the growing industrial power of Morocco and the country’s willingness to share its experiences in this sector, according to Elalamy. The minister also noted that Equatorial Guinea has significant experience in gas and oil.
The Moroccan official stressed the value of sharing the experiences, successes, and failures of the two countries in order to boost development in both Morocco and Equatorial Guinea.
Elalamy also shed light on the bilateral ties between Morocco and Equatorial Guinea, calling them “exceptional.”
Morocco’s warm relations with Equatorial Guinea manifested on October 23, with the inauguration of the Central African country’s consulate general in the southern Moroccan city of Dakhla. The diplomatic representation adds weight to Equatorial Guinea’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Equatorial Guinea’s foreign minister expressed his wishes for Morocco to invest in his country. Angue emphasized his country’s deployment of an economic diversification program, which matches with Morocco’s potential in the field of industry.
The two countries started planning the industrial cooperation earlier this year, with an official meeting between their foreign ministers on January 21.
Angue carried a message from President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to King Mohammed VI, calling for strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two nations.
The two African countries enjoy 40 years of diplomatic ties. Their strong cooperation involves the education sector, especially college education and professional training.
There are over 400 young Equatoguinean nationals attending universities and higher education institutions across Morocco.
Morocco hosts these students via a cooperation program between the Equatoguinean government and the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI).
In addition to the cooperation with Equatorial Guinea in the field of industry, other African countries have recently signed agreements with Morocco in various fields.
These include Guinea-Bissau, which signed four agreements related to industry, energy, tourism and transport, and logistics.
The Central African Republic also signed three agreements with Morocco on October 22, with the aim to reinforce bilateral ties in the handicrafts, social solidarity economy, health, and tourism sectors.
In addition, Malawi also signed a number of agreements with Morocco on October 24, in the fields of agriculture, food security, higher education, scientific research, and housing, among others.
