Moroccan Ambassador to Yemen Times: Moroccan-Yemeni economic relations should be as strong as political relations [Archives:2002/31/Interview]

The Kingdom of Morocco marked on July 30 its national day [the monarchy day]. Yasser al-Mayasi of Yemen Times had the pleasure to meet the Ambassador of Morocco to Yemen H.E. Lahcen Azoulay and filed the following interview.
Excerpts.
Q: Can you please brief us on Morocco?
A: Morocco is an independent constitutional, democratic, Islamic monarchy. The ruling system of Morocco is one of the oldest in the world. The parliament of Morocco has two bodies: the parliament and the consultative council. Both bodies enjoy the same level of authority.
Members of the parliament are elected through general elections held every five years. The government is comprised of the prime minister and the cabinet. The government is responsible before the king and the parliament as for implementing the governments platform and law. The current government has 25 ministers. Morocco has also several supreme state agencies.
Q: What about the economy of Morocco?
A: Morocco has a multi-sectoral economy. Agriculture accounts for 17 percent of the NDP. Morocco has a total land of 71 million hectors of which 40 million is arable land. Tourism is also one of the most important sectors of the Moroccan economy. This is because Morocco enjoys good tourism potentials in terms of landscapes, cultural diversity and being close to a huge tourist market [Europe]. Tourism contributed to the Moroccan economy in 2001 with $2.5 billion, accounting for 7.8 percent of the national domestic product. This sector employs 650,000 persons. Morocco also has an ambitious plan to boost this sector, particularly since this sector enjoys a good reputation.
As Morocco has a long coastline stretching for 3500 km, Morocco is a leading exporter of fisheries in Africa and the Arab world. The total products of fisheries in 2001 amounted to 900,000 tons. Fisheries account for 16 percent of exports.
Industry makes up 70 percent of exports and 17.5 percent of the national domestic product. The most important industries found in Morocco are: petrochemicals, fabrics, food-processing, leather and cement.
Q: How is the status of Moroccos economic policies?
A: Morocco seeks to open its economy for the rest of the world as current legal and institutional reforms are more conducive to the flow of foreign investments. It has also restructured its public enterprises and adopted a privatization policy. Morocco has attracted more than 2000 European companies. Moroccos trade policies have improved the foreign trade performance through establishing full-fledged partnership with the EU countries. Morocco achieved a surplus in performance totaling $4 billion generated from the increase of labor remittances.
Q: How do you view the achievements under the reign of his highness King Mohammed VI?
A: Since Mohammed VI came to power on July 1999 he worked hard to upgrade public enprocess, fighting poverty, social solidarity and involving women in development.
Q: How do you assess the bilateral relations between Yemen and Morocco?
A: The two countries enjoy excellent relations. Those solid fraternal relations are rapidly going forward since theyre very deeply-rooted. The two countries share the same views about political events at the Arab and international levels. Yet, the trade and economic relations between Yemen and Morocco are not as active as the political relations. The private sector can change this situation to the better since top decisions from the top leaderships of the two countries arent sufficient.
The year 2001 witnessed an active exchange of visits between top officials of the two countries. On the other hand, the fourth round meeting of the Moroccan-Yemeni joint committee was held in 2001 in Sanaa.
Q: Would you like to add any comment?
A: Id like to thank the Yemen Times for its constant follow-up of different events at the local and international levels. I wish the paper all the best in all aspects.



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