Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour and Deputy US Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East Bryant Trick co-chaired the 8th Joint Committee to Monitor the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Monday at the US Department of Commerce in Washington, DC.
At the meeting, officials analyzed the impacts of the now 20-year-old FTA, focusing on ways to strengthen trade relations between Morocco and the United States, as well as to render the FTA even more dynamic and substantive, particularly in the agricultural, textile, investment, and automotive sectors.
Touting the vision of King Mohammed VI, Mezzour said that Morocco is “at once a partner of choice, a credible interlocutor, and a trusted stakeholder.” In addition to having an investment-friendly economic climate, Morocco is able to operate reciprocally on an equal footing with the United States.
“The outstanding momentum unleashed during the twenty years of implementation of our FTA is rich in progress and substantial achievements,” said the Minister. However, it will still be necessary, he said, to “fully build on our cooperation” and address all outstanding issues “to achieve even more fruitful and mutually beneficial results.”
Mezzour identified several priority “concerns” about access of Moroccan products to the US market and vice versa, including the need to overcome non-tariff obstacles.
He also discussed various crucial elements of bilateral commerce, including collaboration in the agricultural, textile, and automotive industries, as well as the issue of investment.
The Moroccan official stated that 150 renowned American companies in a variety of sectors have established themselves in Morocco, which he said is a testament to “the trust the United States has in Morocco at a time when the business climate in the Kingdom has improved considerably.”
US officials remarked that economic and trade relations have been “dynamic” since the signing of the FTA, and further streamlining and strengthening its implementation would benefit both parties.
Trick hailed Morocco as a platform for the creation of new economic and commercial opportunities for American companies, to enhance both the quality and quantity of trade.
He also recognized the enhanced potential the FTA can offer by improving access to the US market for Moroccan exports.
Morocco’s Ambassador to the US Youssef Amrani attended the meeting along with several American officials.