Morocco advocates large Arab free trade area
Regional-Morocco, Economics, 9/11/1998

Morocco renewed Wednesday at the 62nd session of the Arab economic and social council in Cairo, its hopes that a large Arab free trade area will be established as a means to an effective and sustained economic takeoff in the area.

Morocco's secretary of state for cooperation, Aicha Belarbi Alaoui, stressed at the meeting that bilateral agreements signed between Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan are actually part of Morocco's efforts to set up an Arab free trade area.

She added that the problem is that Arab states should discuss some items in the convention on development and facilitation of trade exchange between Arab states. The Moroccan official explained that Morocco's trade law, which provides for a total liberalization of external trade, is ready to contribute its expertise in drawing up the rules of origin in order to lay the basis for a large free trade zone in the Arab world.

For the Moroccan official, the difficulties that hamper the implementation of the agreement lie in the fact that some of its provisions need to be reconsidered and in the need to review the criteria related to the exclusion of some agricultural products.

Relatedly, Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdel Meguid disclosed that the number of Arab states embarking on the executive program of the greater Arab free trade zone has so far reached 12.

These countries, he said, have instructed their respective customs offices to implement the gradual reduction of duties by 10 percent on commodities of Arab origin.

He said the trade activities of these countries represented some 80 percent of total Arab trade with the outside world, and approximately the same percentage with regard to inter-Arab trade.

Previous Stories:
  Concern over deteriorating economic conditions in occupied lands   (9/10/1998)
  Arab bankers meet in Amman   (9/7/1998)
  Arab Free Trade Zone meeting, Lebanon wants temporary halt   (9/5/1998)

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