Gabonese president calls for direct trade with Morocco

President Haj Omar Bongo of Gabon called on Thursday for the promotion of direct trade between Morocco and his country.

"It is aberrant that (Moroccan) products, such as oranges, tangerines, sardines and shirts transit by other countries before entering Gabon bearing other brands," Haj Omar Bongo said at a meeting in Libreville with Moroccan Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

Youssoufi is visiting Gabon part of an African tour that already took him to Senegal, Guinea and Cote D'Ivoire. After Gabon, he will wind up the tour in Burkina Faso.

The Gabonese President called on Moroccan private economic operators to establish direct trade ties with peers in Gabon.

Bilateral trade, which suffers from a chronic deficit to the detriment of Morocco, fluctuates annually according to the volume of oil imported from Gabon.

Morocco imports timber, oil, coffee and natural rubber from Gabon and exports shoes, garments and tires to this African nation.

President Bongo expressed gratitude to Morocco for its assistance to Gabon, especially in matters of staff training. "We owe these results (in training) to the friendship and fraternity of King Hassan II," he said.

He expressed hope that Youssoufi's visit to Gabon would contribute to "encouraging Moroccans install and run trade in Gabon."

Youssoufi, who conveyed a message of friendship from King Hassan II to Haj Omar Bongo, underlined Morocco's will to foster economic and trade cooperation with Gabon.

Youssoufi also co-chaired a working session with Gabonese peer, Jean Francois Ntoutoume that was crowned by the conclusion of two accords related to non-double taxation and encouragement of small and medium enterprises.