Kuwaiti minister praises Morocco’s progress, heritage, and resilience

• Kuwaiti investments in Morocco amount to no less than $1.5 billion in several investment and economic fields. Kuwait has a long history of investments in Morocco dating back to the sixties and seventies.

• In 2019, approximately 19,000 Kuwaiti tourists visited Morocco, while last year saw a total of 14.5 million tourists traveling to the country, said H.E. Ali bin Issa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Kuwait.

• Kuwait and Morocco collaborate on economic initiatives, with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development supporting numerous Moroccan infrastructure projects.

Dr. Anwar Al-Mudhaf, Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment, lauded the robust and profound fraternal ties between the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Morocco.

“We have a strategic relationship with Morocco, and we are one family. We are proud of Morocco, its progress and development, its heritage and history, and its resilience in the face of challenges, which is demonstrated by the depth, strength, and resilience of its people,” Al-Mudhaf said.

He said in a statement to journalists on the sidelines of the embassy’s celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s accession to the throne, “I am certain, through my follow-up on the Moroccan economic situation, the growth of its gross domestic product, its achievement of a distinguished position in its relations with both the East and the West, and the moderation of its policy, that its growth will continue.”

Referring to his last visit to Marrakech last year, where he participated in the meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the earthquake that struck Morocco, he added, “We expected that Morocco would be affected, but we found it with its head held high. We saw an active people who were not deterred by the earthquake. The meetings of the IMF continued as if nothing had happened, which indicates the solidarity and resilience of the people and their ability to withstand shocks.”

He said that the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Morocco share several economic initiatives, “and there are distinctive joint experiences through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, which financed many development projects in Moroccan infrastructure and “this is not a favor, but rather a duty upon us.”

He added that Kuwaiti investments in Morocco amount to no less than $1.5 billion in several investment and economic fields, stressing that the State of Kuwait views the Kingdom of Morocco positively regarding the investment aspect.

He continued, “Morocco enjoys great diversity in the economy, tourism, agriculture, and trade,” congratulating Morocco on hosting the World Cup. This is the first time an Arab country will participate with European countries in hosting the World Cup.

The minister said, “We are not surprised to invest in Morocco,” noting that Kuwait “has a long history of investments in Morocco dating back to the sixties and seventies, and we view Morocco as a country very close to our hearts and our commercial and investment interests.”

For his part, H.E. Ali bin Issa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Kuwait, praised the State of Kuwait’s supportive and steadfast position on the unity of Moroccan territory and the integrity of its lands.

Ambassador bin Issa stressed in a speech during the ceremony that the number of Kuwaiti tourists is increasing year by year, especially with the opening of Kuwait Airways in 2022. “Now we see three weekly flights, which show the desire of Kuwaiti tourists to visit Morocco, where they find what they seek.”

He added that in 2019, before COVID-19, their number was approximately 19,000 tourists, and the number of tourists who visited Morocco last year reached 14.5 million. This year, the number will be even greater, indicating the status that Morocco enjoys.

Regarding the occasion, Ambassador bin Issa said, “It is a presence that we are proud of and cherish on this occasion dear to our hearts, the anniversary of the accession of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to the throne of his ancestors. This presence cannot but express the love of everyone who attended, love for Morocco and the Moroccan people. There are many who follow the political, economic, and social news of Morocco, and Morocco leaves a beautiful impression with its achievements, especially during the past 25 years in various fields.”

Major development projects

Ambassador bin Issa said that Morocco has launched several major development projects in the automotive industry, aircraft industry, infrastructure, railways, ports, and renewable energy. Morocco has made significant strides over the past 15 years, and this year we launched Morocco’s initiative to produce green hydrogen, for which the Moroccan government has allocated one million hectares. Of this, 300,000 hectares will be designated for investors in this field. The doors are open, and opportunities are available for investment in Morocco. The government has provided several privileges and facilitated the paths to investment, encouraging investors to come to Morocco.