Moroccan-British ties to be boosted, ambassador

Cooperation ties between Morocco and Britain will be given a strong impetus in the three coming years, British ambassador to Morocco, Anthony Layden said.

Morocco is a target country for the British government, Layden told MAP news agency on the occasion of the visit of a British business mission to Morocco.

Such missions are part of the British government orientation to further promote relations with Morocco, Layden said, announcing that an important British delegation will visit Morocco next October.

British economic operators are aware today more than ever that Morocco has great economic and business potentials, he said.

The British business delegation currently visiting Morocco is made up of representatives of 10 firms, operating in medical equipment, exportation, cosmetics and storage.

Morocco's imports from Britain totaled 6.7 billion dirhams in 2000, while exports to the European country stood at 7.7 billion dirhams.

British investments in Morocco represented in the first half of 2000 10% of all foreign investments in the Kingdom. Currently, 50 British firms are operating in Morocco, 60% of them in the textile sector, generating 30,000 jobs.