Israel’s Economy Minister Orna Barbivai is set to arrive Sunday next week in the Kingdom of Morocco, where she will sign an economic and trade agreement with the Rabat government to further bolster existing ties.
During her trip Barbivai will visit Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakesh, where she will meet with ministers, senior government officials and senior members of the business community. She will also tour Israeli textile and agriculture companies, accompanied by her husband – attorney Moshe Barbivai – who was born in Morocco and emigrated to Israel in 1958 at age 3.
“Morocco is very important for Israel diplomatically, economically and culturally,” Barbivai said. “I am going there to lay the necessary economic infrastructure for productive bilateral trade.
“Despite the existing commercial ties and the fact that Israeli industry is already in Morocco, the scope of economic cooperation is only partial relative to its potential, the realization of which will significantly contribute to the economic well-being and growth of both countries,” she added.
Last year, bilateral Israeli-Moroccan trade reached $70 million, with around $12.2 million in exports and $57.2 million in imports, the Israeli government said.
Israeli exports to Morocco are mainly transportation products and rubber, plastic and rubber products, and chemicals. Imports from Morocco are mainly textiles, agricultural products and transportation products.
Economy and Industry Ministry Foreign Trade Administration director Ohad Cohen added that Israel has identified “great potential for bilateral commercial cooperation in digital health and medical equipment, water technology, agriculture, cyber and fintech, food security, green energy, air travel, food technology, smart transportation and more.”
