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Jordan and Morocco

Apr 15,2019 - Last updated at Apr 15,2019

Now that Royal Air Maroc has started its flights between Casablanca and Amman, we expect larger numbers of businessmen and tourists from both countries to fly to each other. I have visited Morocco 15 times at least, where I went there officially, professionally and as a tourist. It has so much to offer in terms of hospitality, diversities, historical sites, top-level handcrafted artistic relics and above all, excellent food.

The reason I like to talk about Morocco is that both Jordan and Morocco can enter into inter-and intra-relations. Both are Royal families of the Prophet Mohammad’s posterity. The Alaouite family’s reign in Morocco was established in 1631.

The Hashemites of Jordan were called the Rulers of Mecca as of 1622 and their reign in Al Hijaz continued until 1924. The sons of Sharif Hussein Bin Ali ruled Syria, Iraq, Jordan and the West Bank. Now, they are the rulers of Jordan. Both reigns have been in power for almost the last 300 years.

Both countries are not endowed with oil or gas, but boast large reserves of phosphate, excellent touristic attractions and similar economic structures. While Morocco’s economy is almost 15 per cent agriculture, 29 per cent industry and 56 per cent services, Jordan’s is 4.5 per cent, 29 per cent and 67 per cent respectively. Morocco’s GDP is $122.5 billion in 2019, 332 in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, Jordan’s is $42 billion or 193.2 in PPP terms. In per capita terms, Jordan is $1000 higher.

Yet, Morocco ranks very high among some leading indicators, such as the ease of business, private sector openness and rates of growth. It is number 56 in GDP terms internationally and fifth in Africa after Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt and Algeria.

Both countries can reinforce each other. While Morocco is overlooking the Mediterranean, which thus stands to serve Jordan in both Africa and southern Europe, Jordan can serve as a launching pad for Moroccan exports in west Asia.

Despite the distance between the two countries, both can create together a huge advanced fertiliser industry, touristic exchange, handicrafts, leather industries and of course, smart technology.

In a world where contacts can be made in minimum real time and space, Jordan and Morocco can cash in on the fruits of the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”.

The language gradient can help. Morocco’s familiarity with French and its geographical proximity to west Africa can help both Jordan and Morocco go there. The same applies from Jordan to east Africa.

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