NFTC, MEFTA Coalition Welcome Announcement of Three U.S.-Morocco Trade and Investment Initiatives

Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and the U.S.-Middle East Free Trade (MEFTA) Coalition today welcomed the announcement of three new U.S.-Morocco initiatives aimed at advancing bilateral trade and investment ties. The initiatives, announced yesterday by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro at the U.S.-Morocco Business Development Conference, include a trade facilitation agreement, joint investment principles and joint principles for information and communication technology (ICT) services.

NFTC Vice President for Regional Trade Initiatives and Director of the MEFTA Coalition Chuck Dittrich released the following statement:

“We welcome these new initiatives, as they represent a bilateral commitment to raising standards reflective of the ever-changing global economic environment and ensuring that the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement – implemented in 2006 – is a living agreement.

“With these initiatives, both countries are also reaffirming their commitment to transparency in international trade and investment policies, as well as ensuring support for the global development of ICT services to further spur innovation and e-commerce.

“This announcement represents tangible action to increase Morocco’s competitiveness in the global economy and provide state-of-the art rules and processes. The initiatives will also help to forge deep and sustained mutually beneficial commercial partnerships between U.S. and Moroccan companies, workers and agricultural producers.

“Given recent transitions in the region, the United States has a significant opportunity to expand trade and investment, and today’s announcement is an important step in furthering U.S. engagement in the Middle East and North Africa. We look forward to similar sustained efforts by the U.S. toward other Arab Spring countries such as Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, as well as for the region as a whole.”

###

About the U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Coalition
Since 2002, the U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Coalition, with more than 100 U.S. member companies, trade associations and other organizations, has supported the expansion of trade, investment and commercial ties to foster economic development with countries of the Middle East. Managed by the National Foreign Trade Council, the coalition supports the negotiation and conclusion of commercially meaningful free trade agreements between the United States and nations in the Middle East; accession to the World Trade Organization by Middle Eastern nations; and other efforts to build trade capacity and economic liberalization to facilitate more robust trade within the region. The coalition also supports renewed U.S. government efforts to build on existing agreements to promote greater integration with U.S. and European markets, and open the door for those countries who adopt high standards of reform and trade liberalization to construct a regional trade framework.

About NFTC
Advancing Global Commerce for Nearly A Century- The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
Follow us on:

News & Insights

NFTC, MEFTA Coalition Welcome Announcement of Three U.S.-Morocco Trade and Investment Initiatives