The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (CCIS-RSK) and the Federation of Companies for the Protection and Promotion of Made in Italy (FEDERITALY), signed Friday in Rome, a memorandum of agreement, aimed at strengthening bilateral economic cooperation.
Signed by the presidents of CCIS-RSK, Hassan Sakhi, and of FEDERITALY, Carlo Verdone, the agreement aims to capitalize on the potential of Moroccan-Italian trade, to open new horizons of partnership and to strengthen economic cooperation. between the two countries.
Hassan Sakhi, who was accompanied by a delegation including in particular the vice-mayor of Rabat, Abdelhak Moujahid, and the president of the Commission for Economic Animation at the CCIS-RSK, Siham Abou Abdillah, affirmed on this occasion that this memorandum of understanding is part of the dynamic that relations between Morocco and Italy have known for several years, stressing that bilateral trade has recorded a “significant” growth.
In 2021, they posted a 27% increase compared to the same period of the previous year, he said, noting that “Italy is the Kingdom’s fifth largest customer”.
The president of the CCIS RSK also highlighted the strong presence of Italian companies in Morocco in various sectors, due in particular to the opportunities and prospects offered by the national market to foreign investors.
This agreement, which is of great importance, crowns the fruitful relations between the two countries, which play a leading role in the Mediterranean region, he said, expressing his wish to strengthen the exchange of experiences, information and visits in favor of close collaboration.
For his part, the Vice-Mayor of Rabat said that this agreement aspires to establish a concrete exchange of experiences and expertise and to strengthen the links between the institutions of the two countries, welcoming the excellent relations between historical friendship between Italy and the Kingdom, which advocates a sustainable, solid and constructive approach to development at national and continental levels.
Abdelhak Moujahid also said he was convinced that this memorandum will open up new horizons in different areas of investment, namely the technological, ecological, commercial, industrial and service sectors.
He also seized the opportunity to highlight the various projects launched in the capital of the Kingdom, at the instigation of King Mohammed VI, within the framework of the urban development program called “Rabat Ville Lumière, Moroccan Capital of Culture “.
” Rabat has become a cultural reference of Morocco »he underlined, referring, in this sense, to the construction of the Grand Theater of Rabat, which includes, among other things, an auditorium with a capacity of 1,900 seats and an amphitheater of 7,000 seats, as well as the development of green spaces and modernization of road infrastructure in the capital.
The Deputy Head of Mission at the Moroccan Embassy in Italy, Hassan Ben Allal, for his part welcomed the signing, in the Italian Senate, of this agreement which will further promote bilateral trade dynamics, hailing the fruitful cooperation relations between the two countries, linked by a multidimensional strategic partnership that spans several priority areas.
The Moroccan diplomat also insisted on the importance of Moroccan-Italian economic cooperation, the potential of which continues to expand, particularly through such initiatives, underlining the remarkable attractiveness of the Kingdom, which guarantees a prosperous climate. of investment.
The President of FEDERITALY, for his part, indicated that this agreement, signed during the working visit of the Moroccan delegation to Italy, throws “the foundations of an even more solid and fruitful partnership”noting that Italy and Morocco share a long history of trade and cultural relations.
This signature marks “a new step in consolidating the ties that unite our business communities and opens the way to a wide range of opportunities for our companies”, he congratulated himself.
According to the Italian official, the manufacturing industry is one of the key sectors where the agreement will bring significant benefits. This collaboration will promote the establishment of joint ventures and the sharing of expertise, thereby boosting competitiveness and economic growth in the region, he added.
In addition, the memorandum will contribute to the development of the tourism sector in the two countries, which have a “rich history, fascinating culture and unique natural beauty”explained the president of the transalpine federation.
“By promoting joint tourism packages and facilitating travel, we will be able to attract more visitors, which will create new job opportunities in the hospitality sector and strengthen our tourism industry,” he estimated.
As a reminder, Morocco and Italy signed, in November 2019 in Rabat, a declaration of multidimensional strategic partnership which aims in particular to maintain a permanent and in-depth dialogue on all sectors of common interest.