On Tuesday, November 19, Vice-Mayor Linda Ozola of Riga City Council held a meeting with the Ambassador of Morocco to discuss cooperation and development opportunities between Riga and Morocco.
During the visit of Ambassador of Morocco Karim Medrek, the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Riga and Moroccan cities in tourism, information and communication technologies, pharmaceutical field and green technologies was discussed, highlighting Riga's experience in water resources management and the implementation of the smart city concept.
During the discussion, the parties identified a number of areas where cooperation could be developed. Ms Ozola thanked Morocco for its support for Latvia's candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. At the same time, she pointed out that Morocco still has an extradition treaty with Russia, which could create complications in the current geopolitical context.
Mr Medrek is a veteran diplomat who served as Morocco's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Sweden and Non-Resident Ambassador to Latvia before becoming Morocco's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Australia. He joined the Moroccan Foreign Service in 1996.
Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Latvia and the Kingdom of Morocco were established on 5 October 1992. In 2007 Latvia participated in the Moroccan Business Forum, during which a cooperation agreement was signed between the Latvian Confederation of Employers and the General Confederation of Moroccan Entrepreneurs, as well as a Letter of Intent on cooperation between the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Casablanca Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Morocco ranks 84th out of the top 100 countries in terms of the amount of investment capital in Riga, with a total of €61,702. There are currently seven companies with Moroccan capital in Riga – mainly in the real estate sector, but also in tourism. The dynamics show a positive trend in 2023, with an increase in capital of EUR 46,000.
In terms of tourism, 100 flights to and from the Kingdom of Morocco were operated in 2023, carrying 9,831 passengers, an increase of 132.6% compared to 43 flights in 2022, carrying 4,265 passengers. Data for 2024 are still being collected.
Information was prepared by: Sabīne Solovjeva, Project Coordinator for External Communications Department of Riga City Council Communication Administration, email: sabine.solovjeva@riga.lv.
