Orna Barbivai, the Israeli Minister of Economy and Industry, is expected next week in Morocco. Beyond his meetings with employers and his Moroccan counterparts Nadia Fettah Alaoui, Ryad Mezzour, and Younes Sekkouri, the highlight of this “working visit” is the signing of the first economic and commercial cooperation agreement between Morocco and Israel, which will extend normalization between the kingdom and the Jewish state to a commercial component.
It is as a sales representative for Israeli companies that Orna Barbivai will set foot on Moroccan soil. Upon her arrival, this Sunday, February 20 in the kingdom, the Israeli Minister of Economy and Industry will begin a working visit between Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech, with an agenda, focused on business.
Meet economic Morocco
During her visit, Orna Barbivai will have meetings with ministers, senior officials, and industrialists from the kingdom. The Israeli minister should have talks with her Moroccan counterparts, Nadia Fettah Alaoui in Economy and Finance, Ryad Mezzour in Industry and Trade, and Younes Sekkouri in Employment and Economic Inclusion. The discussions should notably revolve around health, the pharmaceutical industry, technologies, mobility, cybersecurity, and aviation.
For the symbol, Orna Barbivai will visit with her husband, lawyer Moshe Barbivai, who is returning to his roots
For the symbol, Orna Barbivai will visit with her husband, lawyer Moshe Barbivai, who is returning to his roots. Born in Morocco, this trained lawyer left the kingdom in 1958 at the age of three to emigrate to Israel. Together, the couple will visit Israeli textile and agricultural companies based in Morocco. The high point of this visit described as “historic” , Orna Barbivai will sign with Nadia Fettah Alaoui the first economic and commercial cooperation agreement between Morocco and Israel since the normalization of their relations within the framework of the Abraham Accords.
“Morocco is of considerable diplomatic, economic and cultural importance to Israel. I am going there to establish the economic bases necessary for productive and fruitful bilateral exchanges. Although commercial ties exist and Israeli industry is already established in Morocco, economic cooperation is only partial compared to its potential, the realization of which will significantly contribute to the well-being and economic growth of both countries”, says Orna Barbivai.
A first economic agreement
Following the normalization of relations between the two countries, the economic and commercial aspects got off to a flying start. According to figures from the Israel Foreign Trade Administration, bilateral trade between Israel and Morocco reached around $131 million in 2021, with nearly $31 million in exports and $100 million in imports. The Jewish state delivers transport products, rubber, plastics, and chemicals to Morocco. For its part, the kingdom mainly transports textiles, agricultural products, and transport equipment products to Israel.
