(Ecofin Agency) - Trade between Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire generated $200 million in 2015, soaring by 66% as compared to 2014, statistics published on March 29, 2016 by Ivorian government revealed.

In 2010, these exchanges generated only $80 million. “Morocco is one of Cote d’Ivoire’s main commercial partners,” said Moroccan Minister-delegate to Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and Digital Economy in charge of foreign trade, Mohamed Abbou, during a visit in Abidjan. “Cote d’Ivoire is Morocco’s sixth customer and second supplier,” he added.

Moreover, Ivorian Minister of Trade, Jean-Louis Billon, said bilateral relations are a perfect example of the south-south cooperation.
“With Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire, south-south integration is on the way,” he said.

Over the past years, dozens of Moroccan companies set up in Cote d’Ivoire in sectors such as construction, insurance, banking, IT, real-estate and trade.

According to the Investment Promotion Center of Cote d’Ivoire (CEPICI), in 2015, they were more Moroccan firms than French firms to have invested in Cote d’Ivoire. Indeed, out of the 185 companies established in 2015 with CEPICI, 20% of these were Moroccan, against 16% for France.

In June 2015, Moroccan King Mohammed VI for the third time, since 2011, visited Cote d’Ivoire.