Dutch businessmen in Morocco to explore cooperation prospects

A delegation of Dutch businessmen is currently visiting Morocco to explore cooperation prospects between Morocco and the Netherlands. The delegation held in Casablanca on Tuesday a meeting with executives of the Moroccan employers' association (CGEM) to discuss means of giving a new momentum to trade exchanges.

The Dutch economic operators deplored the weak level of these exchanges, despite, they said, the firm human relations existing between Morocco and the Netherlands where a 250,000 strong Moroccan community is settled.

The two sides stressed the necessity to increase contacts and to explore the cooperation and partnership opportunities offered by the two countries' economies.

The trade balance shows a deficit to the detriment of Morocco whose exports to the Netherlands in 1997 were worth $125 million (1.2 billion DH) while imports totalled nearly $171 million (1.64 billion DH).

Morocco imports from the Netherlands crude vegetable oil, plastic products, machinery and various devices while it exports to the European country wood, ready-made garments, citrus fruits, petrol oil and lubricants, and phosphoric acid.