Strengthening trade between Morocco and Mauritania was at the center of talks on Friday in Rabat between Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira, and a delegation from the Mauritanian Employers’ Association.
The meeting explored opportunities for cooperation, particularly in logistics, goods transit, and the development of Mauritanian exports to the Moroccan market and, beyond that, to European and international markets.
In a press statement on the occasion, the President of the National Union of Mauritanian Employers (UNPM), Mohamed Zeine El Abidine Ould Cheikh Ahmed emphasized that the visit aims to strengthen trade exchanges between Morocco and Mauritania, in line with the vision of HM King Mohammed VI and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani.
He affirmed that the Mauritanian private sector is fully committed to contributing to this strengthening, noting that “all challenges related to exports have been discussed, and clear instructions have been given to resolve them.”
Zeine El Abidine Ould Cheikh Ahmed also announced that, as part of important decisions made during these talks, this year will mark, for the first time, the arrival of Mauritanian watermelons on Moroccan markets.
For his part, Hejira stated that the meeting aimed to implement all measures to facilitate access for African exports to European and global markets.
According to him, discussions focused on mechanisms to facilitate the transit of Mauritanian goods, particularly through the El Guerguarat border post, as well as measures to reduce the trade deficit between the two countries.
Furthermore, Hejira reaffirmed Morocco’s openness to any proposals likely to strengthen Mauritanian exports to the Moroccan market, highlighting the need for a strong and sustainable partnership between the private sectors of both countries.
Morocco-Mauritania trade exchanges reached a total volume of 3.3 billion dirhams (BMDH) in 2024. Moroccan exports to Mauritania saw a significant increase, rising from 1.7 BMDH in 2017 to 3.3 BMDH in 2024, while imports grew from 3 million dirhams (MDH) in 2017 to 16 MDH in 2024.
The structure of Moroccan exports to Mauritania mainly includes fresh and frozen vegetables, canned and prepared fish products, and electrical devices and wires. Imports primarily consist of salted and dried fish, shellfish, and textile products.