Latest news with #OmarHejira
Morocco World
24-06-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco, Turkiye to Boost Trade Beyond $5 Billion
Morocco and Turkiye have agreed on new measures to balance and boost trade between the two partners. 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.
Morocco World
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Morocco World
Morocco Eyes Major Export Boost to Egypt, Targets $500 Million by 2027
Rabat – Morocco is set to dramatically increase its exports to Egypt, with officials projecting a jump from MAD 755 million ($75 million) to MAD 5 billion ($500 million) within the next three years. The ambitious goal comes after a high-stakes trade mission and signals a new phase in economic ties between the two North African nations. Omar Hejira, the Secretary of State in charge of Foreign Trade, revealed the forecast during a parliamentary session on Monday. He fielded a question from the National Rally of Independents (RNI) party, which sought updates on efforts to strengthen Morocco's export presence in Egypt. The push follows a recent visit by a 40-strong Moroccan trade delegation to Cairo, where executives and exporters held over 200 meetings with Egyptian counterparts. Hejira initiated the mission himself, with Moroccan Confederation of Exporters (ASMEX) President Hassan Sentissi El Idrissi at the helm of the delegation, whose sole goal to promote the 'Made in Morocco' label. The talks led to preliminary deals, with the two sides now working to finalize agreements in key sectors. The visit builds on recent talks with Egyptian officials. In April, the Egyptian ambassador visited ASMEX headquarters, followed by a successful 'Egypt Country Zoom' event where participants learned about market opportunities and how to dip their toes into the Egyptian market. During the parliamentary talks, Hejira also pointed to the automotive industry as a standout success story. Moroccan car exports to Egypt have already soared from just 400 units to 3,000, a figure that could climb to 5,000 by year's end and reach 8,000 by 2026. Calling Morocco-Egypt trade 'a model of Arab cooperation,' Hajira stressed the countries' historical bonds and mutual economic interests. The fivefold export expansion, if achieved, would mark a major milestone in Morocco's strategy to grow its African and Arab trade networks, and solidify its role as a key economic bridge between continents. Tags: economyMorocco exportsMorocco tradeMorocco-Egypttradetrade ties
Ya Biladi
08-05-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Morocco digitizes handicraft export procedures to boost competitiveness
A partnership agreement was signed on Wednesday in Rabat to digitize the export procedures for handicraft products and those from the social and solidarity economy. This document was endorsed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira; the Secretary of State for Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, Lahcen Essaadi; the Director General of the Customs and Indirect Tax Administration (ADII), Abdellatif Amrani; and the Director General of PORTNET S.A, Youssef Ahouzi. The agreement pertains to the project of digitalizing the procedures related to the issuance of export certificates for handicraft products and those from the social and solidarity economy via the PortNet platform, as well as those related to registering with the handicraft exporters' registry. Initiated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, this project is being implemented in consultation with the Secretariat of State for Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, which is responsible for processing the formalities for granting export certificates and registering with the handicraft exporters' registry. The single window PortNet is in charge of the technical implementation, and the ADII handles the electronic exchange of this certificate with its system to finalize the export procedures for handicraft products. Speaking on this occasion, Omar Hejira emphasized that this is another step towards enhancing the competitiveness of national handicraft exporters and aligning them with international trade requirements. For his part, Lahcen Essaadi stated that the handicraft and social and solidarity economy sector is a strategic lever for economic and social development in Morocco. Abdellatif Amrani highlighted the importance of this agreement, which he believes will streamline trade exchanges and significantly reduce the processing times for export files. Meanwhile, Youssef Ahouzi expressed his satisfaction with this initiative, which will enable the PortNet platform to offer a range of administrative procedures that facilitate the export of handicraft products. Several training and awareness initiatives have been organized for the benefit of the handicraft services and sector operators, coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and supported by the PortNet teams, to accompany the launch of the pilot phase.
Ya Biladi
08-05-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Morocco digitizes handicraft export procedures to boost competitiveness
A partnership agreement was signed on Wednesday in Rabat to digitize the export procedures for handicraft products and those from the social and solidarity economy. This document was endorsed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira; the Secretary of State for Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, Lahcen Essaadi; the Director General of the Customs and Indirect Tax Administration (ADII), Abdellatif Amrani; and the Director General of PORTNET S.A, Youssef Ahouzi. The agreement pertains to the project of digitalizing the procedures related to the issuance of export certificates for handicraft products and those from the social and solidarity economy via the PortNet platform, as well as those related to registering with the handicraft exporters' registry. Initiated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, this project is being implemented in consultation with the Secretariat of State for Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, which is responsible for processing the formalities for granting export certificates and registering with the handicraft exporters' registry. The single window PortNet is in charge of the technical implementation, and the ADII handles the electronic exchange of this certificate with its system to finalize the export procedures for handicraft products. Speaking on this occasion, Omar Hejira emphasized that this is another step towards enhancing the competitiveness of national handicraft exporters and aligning them with international trade requirements. For his part, Lahcen Essaadi stated that the handicraft and social and solidarity economy sector is a strategic lever for economic and social development in Morocco. Abdellatif Amrani highlighted the importance of this agreement, which he believes will streamline trade exchanges and significantly reduce the processing times for export files. Meanwhile, Youssef Ahouzi expressed his satisfaction with this initiative, which will enable the PortNet platform to offer a range of administrative procedures that facilitate the export of handicraft products. Several training and awareness initiatives have been organized for the benefit of the handicraft services and sector operators, coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and supported by the PortNet teams, to accompany the launch of the pilot phase.
Morocco World
05-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Egypt-Morocco Investment Forum Kicks Off in Cairo to Boost Trade Relations
Rabat — Morocco and Egypt seem to be on track towards boosting their trade relations as the two countries held a significant Egypt-Morocco Investment and Trade Forum on Sunday in Cairo. The gathering brought together officials, economic players, and business leaders from Morocco and Egypt under the theme 'A Broad Economic Partnership.' The forum is part of the visit of a Moroccan economic delegation to Egypt from the 3rd to the 5th of this month, led by Morocco's Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira. The General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), in coordination with the State Secretariat for Foreign Trade, initiated the mission with the aim to strengthen the presence of Moroccan products in the Egyptian market. This includes both increasing avenues for exporters from both countries as well as creating investment opportunities. The delegation has set an ambitious target of reaching $500 million in Moroccan exports to Egypt by 2026. Meanwhile, the forum offers a chance to establish productive partnerships between the economies of both countries. Business leaders and Moroccan companies attended the event from various sectors, including agriculture, food and automotive industries, electricity, electronics, textiles, seafood products, energy and renewable energies, pharmaceuticals, medical and paramedical products, cosmetics, and construction. Both Hejira and the Egyptian Minister of Investment and Trade Hassan El Khatib co-chaired the forum, reflecting a shared commitment to explore significant potential for cooperation and complementarity between the two countries. The economic meeting sets the tone for a further deeper cooperation, not only between Morocco and Egypt, but potentially to develop partnerships with other African countries. This Moroccan economic mission to Cairo follows El Khatib's visit to Morocco on February 27, when he met with Moroccan officials. During El Khatib's visit, high-level officials met to agree on joining efforts to facilitate trade between Morocco and Egypt, one of them being the creation of the Egyptian 'Fast Track' system. The newfound system aims to increase the volume of Moroccan exports to Egypt — particularly in the automotive sector — and promote trade partnerships and business networks between private sector players from both countries.
