Morocco is considering retaliatory measures against Egypt, accusing it of practicing a policy of “blocking” Moroccan products. A situation that makes the kingdom lose some 6 billion DH annually.
Speaking during a debate at the Committee on Productive Sectors of the House of Representatives, the Moroccan Minister of Industry and Trade, Moulay Hafid Elalamy confided to having expressed his dissatisfaction to his Egyptian counterpart, Nevin Jameh who also denounced the obstruction made by Morocco to Egyptian products.
The Moroccan minister said he had promised his counterpart retaliatory measures against Egyptian exports. “I created problems for you, and I will continue to do so,” the minister reportedly told him, who insisted during the debate that the Egyptian minister nevertheless promised to review this policy for better access to the Egyptian market. According to Elalamy, she was understanding, proposing the creation of a joint committee to resolve these issues.
In addition, the Moroccan minister indicated that Egyptian exports sometimes arrive in Morocco under a false identity. A check recently revealed, he notes, that three containers from Egypt carrying products with Egyptian certificates were in fact Chinese-made products.
In the current context, Moroccan products need 3 months to access the Egyptian market, recalled Elalamy. Cars manufactured in Morocco, for example, can only access this market if they are manufactured at “Somaca”, while those from Renault factories in Tangier are not welcome.
