The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita received on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 in Rabat, the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Mr. Wamkele Mene.
During this meeting, Mr. Bourita stressed the importance of the entry into force of the AfCFTA for the commercial and economic development of the continent, noting that the operationalization of this free trade area is perfectly consistent with the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI for an integrated and prosperous Africa.
In this regard, the Minister reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to work for the finalization of its offer on trade in goods and services, in support of the efforts of AfCFTA Secretary General and with a view to a strong and sustainable partnership.
The two parties also discussed the conclusion of phase II of the protocols on investment, intellectual property rights, competition and e-commerce, recalling the role of the AfCFTA Secretariat in supporting member States to accelerate the negotiations of these instruments.
To this end, Mr. Bourita and Mr. Mene affirmed their common desire to federate the efforts of States to achieve the objectives set out in the Agenda 2063.
On this occasion, Bourita stressed the significance of respecting in terms of recruitment, the principles of geographical distribution and gender balance in order to remain consistent with the spirit and letter of the institutional reform of the African Union, which the AfCFTA Secretariat should ensure.
At the end of the meeting, the two officials agreed on the importance of supporting the private sectors of member States in order to promote intra-African trade for a more integrated and prosperous continent.