USA resolved to support Morocco's economic reforms
Morocco-USA, Economics, 1/24/2002

The United States are resolved to support ongoing reforms and economic liberalization in Morocco in order to enlarge prosperity horizons of Morocco, said in Rabat Wednesday visiting US trade representative, Robert Z. Zoellick.

Zoellick, who is a member of US president George W. Bush cabinet, told reporters at a press conference following a meeting with King Mohammed VI that Morocco has made considerable development in social fields as well as in privatization and trade liberalization, citing new Royal instructions to the government to devolve investment issues to local authorities and the priority granted by the sovereign to education in rural areas.

The US official who also met minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa, finance, economy, privatization and tourism minister, Fathallah Oualalou, and visited a US-supported micro-finance association, said his country is ready to bring all support to drain investments in the kingdom, develop education and generate jobs and is currently exploring the possibility of concluding a free-trade agreement with Morocco.

"King Mohamed has made economic reform and the establishment of a secure and attractive investment climate a priority of his Government," an official statement quoted Zoellick as saying. "Morocco has been a strong supporter of the United States' fight against terrorism following the tragedies of September 11," Zoellick went on.

The United States conducts close to $1 billion in trade with Morocco. In 2000, the U.S. exported goods to Morocco totaling over $525 million, including aircraft, corn, wheat, soybeans, machinery and machine parts. U.S. imports from Morocco totaled $456 million.

In his meeting with the sovereign, Zoellick highlighted the interest the US government grants to the liberalization reforms and the recent investments measures announced by King Mohammed VI. He also touched on efforts under way to materialize a free trade accord between Morocco and the USA.

King Mohammed VI voiced satisfaction over the efforts made by Rabat and Washington to consolidate their economic and commercial cooperation.

The king stressed that Morocco is committed to a consolidated commercial partnership with the USA and recalled the experience Morocco has in this connection with the European Union and with a number of Arab states.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan fm meets US trade representative   (1/23/2002)
  Moroccan-US group obtains concession of waste dump in Fez   (12/31/2001)
  US tour-operators allocate up to $ 40 mln for promotion of Morocco bound   (12/22/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search