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JEDDAH: ������Ƶ and Morocco have signed an agreement to encourage and protect mutual investments, aiming to safeguard investors’ rights and boost cross-border capital flows as the two nations strengthen economic cooperation. 

The deal was signed in Rabat by Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih and Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah Alaoui during the Saudi minister’s official visit to the North African nation. 

This comes amid growing economic relations, with trade between the two countries reaching SR5 billion ($1.33 billion) in 2024. Saudi exports accounted for SR4.3 billion, while imports stood at SR640 million. 

In a post on its official X account, the Saudi Ministry of Investment said both ministers signed “an agreement to encourage and protect mutual investments between the two Kingdoms, to strengthen the economic partnership between them, safeguard investors’ rights, and support the flow of investments in various sectors.” 

Under the agreement, the two countries committed to creating a stable and transparent environment for investors. It guarantees fair and equitable treatment, freedom to transfer funds, and protection against expropriation without fair compensation. The pact also enables investors to seek international arbitration in the event of disputes 

Al-Falih and Alaoui also discussed ways to enhance financial partnerships, economic policies, stimulate growth, and strategies for financing major developmental projects. 

Morocco ranks as ������Ƶ’s 57th largest export partner and 51st for imports, with key trade including vehicles, insulated wires, fertilizers, and clothing from ������Ƶ, and refined petroleum, vehicles, accessories, and wheat from Morocco. 

The deal also aims to promote sustainable economic growth and address challenges faced by investors, thereby strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries. 

In another post, the Investment Ministry said Al-Falih held a bilateral meeting with Moroccan Minister of Investment, Convergence, and Evaluation of Public Policies Karim Zidane. 

“They discussed the strategic vision for sustainable development, the evaluation of public policies and the improvement of the business environment and explored ways to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries,” the post added.

During his visit, Al-Falih also met with Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour, with whom he discussed strengthening industrial and commercial cooperation, developing manufacturing industries, and attracting new investments. 

The Saudi minister also met with several Moroccan government officials and a group of business and financial leaders to strengthen investment relations and address challenges facing investors in both countries. 

JEDDAH: The UAE strengthened its economic partnership with the US during a three-day visit to New York, where Abu Dhabi officials signed a series of agreements in technology, finance, energy, and manufacturing. 

The high-level delegation, led by Ahmed Jasim Al-Zaabi, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, met with US government officials and business leaders to boost trade and investment cooperation, according to the Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM. 

The visit witnessed the inking of agreements to enhance cooperation in sectors including startups, family businesses, and small and medium enterprises, as well as digital infrastructure, new energy, advanced manufacturing, and financial services. 

The two countries share a strong and growing economic relationship, with bilateral trade reaching $34.4 billion in 2024 — an 8.5 percent increase year on year — making the UAE the largest US trading partner in the Middle East, with trade spanning all 50 US states and supporting over 184,000 jobs. 

In a statement, Al-Zaabi said: “We are proud of our strong and evolving partnership with the US. This visit has enabled us to build more collaborative initiatives to harness new trends, mega shifts, and technological transformations witnessed by the global economy.” 

He added: “Backed by five decades of fruitful cooperation, our trade and investment ties with the US continue on an upward trajectory,” noting that mutual investments are also increasing and expanding, supercharging growth across various sectors and industries, and creating thousands of jobs. 

He emphasized that this growth reflects the depth and strength of their cooperation with the US and affirmed their commitment to further enhancing it, enabling businesses and investors to grow, thrive, and expand. 

In recent years, Abu Dhabi’s non-oil trade with the US has grown by 28.4 percent, while US companies operating in Abu Dhabi have seen a 52.9 percent compound annual growth rate, reflecting deepening ties in key economic sectors. 

According to a report released in May by the White House, US President Donald Trump announced over $200 billion in commercial deals between the two countries — bringing the total of investment agreements in the Gulf region to over $2 trillion. 

This builds on the UAE’s commitment to a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework that will contribute to the US boom in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, energy, quantum computing, biotechnology, and manufacturing, as per the US official release. 

The New York event brought together 15 of Abu Dhabi’s largest listed companies from diverse sectors, with a combined market capitalization exceeding $300 billion, and featured more than 100 one-on-one meetings with leading US institutional investors managing assets of over $10 billion. 

The delegation included senior officials from Abu Dhabi’s public and private sectors, among them Ghannam Al-Mazrouei, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange Group, Hamad Sayah Al-Mazrouei, undersecretary of ADDED, and Badr Al-Olama, director general of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.