Vice-Mayor Linda Ozola of the Riga City Council met with Ambassador Karim Medrek of Morocco to discuss opportunities for enhancing bilateral cooperation between Latvia and Morocco, according to the Latvian Government website.
The meeting focused on fostering bilateral ties in sectors such as tourism, information and communication technologies, pharmaceuticals, and green technologies. The discussions highlighted Riga’s experience in water resource management and the implementation of “smart city” concepts.
Ambassador Medrek, a veteran diplomat, has previously served as Morocco’s Ambassador to Sweden and non-resident Ambassador to Latvia, and Australia. His tenure reflects the deepening ties between the two nations, which established diplomatic relations on October 5, 1992.
During the discussions, Vice-Mayor Ozola expressed Latvia’s gratitude for Morocco’s support of Latvia’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
While acknowledging Morocco’s support, Ozola also raised a point of concern; the existing extradition treaty between Morocco and Russia, which could present challenges in the current geopolitical context.
Morocco has a modest presence in Latvia’s investment landscape, ranking 84th among the top 100 countries in terms of investment in Riga.
As of now, there are seven companies with Moroccan capital in the city, primarily in the real estate and tourism sectors, with investment dynamics on the rise. In 2023, there was a notable increase of EUR 46,000.
Tourism exchanges between the two countries have also been thriving, with 100 flights between Morocco and Latvia in 2023, representing a 132.6% increase compared to 2022. This positive trend is expected to continue, with further developments in 2024.