Morocco eager to strengthen Economic ties with Ghana

Marrakech, (Morocco) -- Morocco is set to make Ghana her strategic economic partner in the West African sub-region with investments in the textiles sector, tourism, airline industry, fishing, mining and other areas.

Ali Belhaj, Ghana's Consular General in Morocco, told journalists on Thursday after Vice President Aliu Mahama held bilateral discussions with Driss Jettou, Prime Minister of Morocco at the prestigious Hotel Mamounia, said to be the most popular in the world. It was an ancient palace that was developed into a hotel.

The discussions, which were held behind closed doors, were said to have centred on strengthening the renewed diplomatic and economic ties between Ghana and her North African partner.

Belhaj said in furtherance of his country's commitment, he would lead a Moroccan business delegation to Ghana in February in next year to build on relations that were formed when they visited Ghana last year, while new ones would be established.

"We are building the vision for our future relations with Ghana as a strategic development partner in West Africa. We are happy that our relations, which were dormant for more than 20 years, have now been revitalised with the visit of President John Kufuor to Morocco last year and the visit of the Vice President," he said.

Vice President Mahama is in Marrakech to participate in the Fourth Global Forum on Reinventing Government. The three-day event, organized by King Mohammed VI of Morocco with support from the United Nations and the World Bank, seeks to achieve partnerships and dialogue that can identify common values and concrete initiates to facilitate governance, democracy and development.

Belhaj said Jettou, who visited Ghana before he became Prime Minister, was eager to see the relations flourish for the mutual benefit of both countries. He said Morocco was collaborating with Senegal in the telecom sector and expressed the hope that such cooperation would also be extended to Ghana.

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Deputy Foreign Minister, who sat in the meeting, described the interest of Morocco in Ghana as deep and with bright prospects. He said Ghana invited Morocco to explore the prospects of investing in the cash-strapped Ghana Airways, adding that issue had been prioritised.

Alhaji Mustapha said the two countries were working toward the establishment of a Joint Economic Commission to facilitate their cooperation. Morocco, which has a population of $30m, earned $8.2bn in exports. Its main industries are in phosphate rock mining and processing, leather goods, food processing, textiles and construction.

It has an annual tourist receipt of about three million. In another development, Vice President Aliu Mahama held discussions with his Nigerian Counterpart, Abubakar Atiku, who expressed contentment with the fruitful ties between Ghana and his country.

Atiku, who said Ghanaians and Nigerians, clicked so well that their two countries should have been one, called for support for ECOWAS to develop strong economic cooperation in the sub-region to enhance the living standards of the 250m people there.

He expressed regret about the frequent conflicts that emerge every now and then and said Ghana and Nigeria had to work together to restore peace to the troubled areas.