Rabat: The prospects for strengthening the economic partnership between Morocco and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were the focus of a meeting held Tuesday in Rabat. The meeting was attended by Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, who is on a working visit to Morocco from June 24 to 26. The discussion is part of the implementation of the joint Morocco-ASEAN roadmap for the 2024-2028 period, which includes sectors such as electric vehicle industries and the development of smart, sustainable cities.

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, Minister Mezzour highlighted ASEAN’s composition of ten countries with advanced industrial and commercial expertise, noting its role as a source of global investment and technological innovation. He also reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to diversifying its economic and trade partnerships with emerging regional hubs, in accordance with High Royal Guidelines.

Kim Hourn praised Morocco’s involvement in the sectoral partnership established between the two parties in 2023, noting that trade volume reached 1.55 billion US dollars in 2024. He suggested that this figure does not yet capture the full potential of ASEAN-Morocco cooperation and advocated for enhanced collaboration in trade, investment, and tourism. Kim Hourn also encouraged greater interaction between the chambers of commerce of both regions.

Highlighting the mutual benefits, Kim Hourn described Morocco as a “strategic gateway” to Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. He pointed out that ASEAN benefits from a wide network of free trade agreements with major partners, including China, Japan, South Korea, India, and Australia. This collaboration is part of the ASEAN-Morocco sectoral dialogue, formally launched in 2023, aiming to foster synergies through pragmatic and mutually advantageous cooperation.