Morocco, Turkiye to Boost Trade Beyond $5 Billion
In a recent meeting in Ankara, Omar Hejira, Morocco's Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, and Mustafa Tuzcu, Turkey's Deputy Minister of Commerce, committed to increasing trade between their countries to over $5 billion.
This meeting was part of the sixth session of the committee monitoring the free trade agreement between Morocco and Turkey, which has been in place since 2006. One key topic was the trade imbalance, with Morocco concerned about its deficit caused mainly by Turkish textile imports.
To address this, the two sides want to move towards a 'win-win' relationship, focusing on the strengths of both countries' industries. They agreed to improve communication by setting up a direct contact line between their ministries to solve problems faster and reach their goals.
Morocco also requested better access for its agricultural products in the Turkish market. Plans include more business-to-business (B2B) meetings, joint promotional events, and a Turkish-Moroccan Business and Investment Forum expected to happen within the next year.
Both governments plan to organize a series of conferences and meetings aimed at highlighting and promoting joint investment opportunities for companies from Morocco and Turkiye. These events will provide a platform for businesses to network, share expertise, and explore potential partnerships across various sectors, helping to attract more bilateral investments and stimulate economic growth in both countries.
The two trade partners have also agreed to strengthen their industrial cooperation by developing joint production projects. The focus will be especially on the textile supply chains, where both countries see strong potential for collaboration. By combining their respective strengths and resources, they aim to create more efficient and competitive manufacturing processes, boost exports, and create new jobs in their textile industries.
The new plan was introduced to tackle growing trade imbalances that raised concerns in Rabat. Although the initial agreement was already amended in 2020 to impose a 90% tariff on Turkish textiles, imports from Turkiye continued to weigh heavily on Morocco trade balance, contributing to a MAD 30 billion ($3 billion) bilateral deficit.
This renewed commitment marks a concrete step toward a more balanced economic relationship. With clear targets and coordinated efforts, Morocco and Turkey are poised to ensure deeper trade, stronger industries, and long-term mutual benefit.
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