votes: interview H E Mr Mohammed Rachid Idrissi Kaitouni Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic Photo Vladimír Weiss
Morocco Open for Business A talk with H E Mr Mohammed Rachid Idrissi Kaitouni Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic Leaders Magazine II 2009 115 How would you describe Moroccan Czech relations in general today Relations between Morocco and the Czech Republic are excellent including at the political and diplomatic levels We share the same ideals which are expressed when we met each other at global meetings when we reaffirm principles of international peace and security and naturally in our common efforts to establish the rule of law secure democratic practices and respect for human rights The Prague Spring of 1968 was seen in Morocco as the first demonstration leading to the freedom of the Czechoslovak people and the Velvet Revolution in 1989 was followed with much interest by all Moroccans But it was only when His Majesty King Mohammed VI acceded to the throne that a very important series of measures bringing Morocco to a level comparable to that of European countries were introduced You will be convinced of this when you read the speech of His Majesty the King Mohammed VI to mark the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights It shows that the path Morocco has taken is an irreversible process that will be accompanied by further measures in the media in politics and the electoral system Can you outline any areas where the two countries cooperate closely The Czech company Nehera established a presence in the large cities in Morocco at the end of the 1920s thus setting an example to other Czech firms and highlighting the commercial activity between the two countries This justified the opening of a Czech Consulate in Casablanca in 1935 With independence many Moroccans pursued further studies in Czechoslovakia and later occupied very high positions in Morocco in both the public and private sectors Often married to Czechs they maintained close relations with this country and even today are an example of co operation and integration between the two nations Now that Morocco has obtained the Advanced Statute with the European Union co operation between Morocco and the Czech Republic has widened further The Czech Presidency of the European Union will be an occasion to explore further ways of developing this relationship We hope that during this period the Czech Republic will make every effort so that the two only countries of the Mediterranean region with the Advanced Statute can benefit from equal treatment How would you describe Moroccan Czech business relations If we consider only the statistics commercial exchanges multiplied fivefold over the last five years But this figure is still not satisfactory and is not in line with EU resolutions recommending the diversification of sources of supply However there are many areas of co operation between Morocco and the Czech Republic including collaboration between Morocco and the EU and bilateral relationships With reference to the latter point I think that the mutual promotion the protection of investment a sector which profits from receiving the particular attention of the Government of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and other factors such as a nondouble taxation treaty are likely to guarantee Czech investors a long term future Can you give examples of Moroccan Czech business projects Morocco is a country with considerable promise which is less than 11 km from Europe I am always awaiting responses from the Czech companies to take part in the various invitations to participate in tram projects because many Moroccan cities are on the way to using this environmentally friendly means of transport Czech firms experience and know how in this field as well as knowledge of markets they have gained in the United States and in Europe can open the way to businesses projects in this field for many years to come There is also room for cooperation in aeronautics automotive engineering and irrigation How do you see this business relationship developing in the future There is no doubt that in the very near future the business connections between Morocco and the Czech Republic will develop considerably We will benefit from the Czech Presidency of the European Union to invite Moroccan employers to meet their Czech counterparts and to define an overall strategy to put into effect the commitments taken by the Czech Prime Minister during his visit to Morocco two years ago During this period as well as the organization of a week of Moroccan crafts and cuisine new opportunities are bound to open up in addition to a better understanding of Moroccan diversity and potential I can only express my optimism and my determination to work hard so that the excellence of the business connections reflects the warm political relationship between the two countries What role can tourism play in it I imagine that these two activities can help the understanding and the discovery of the cultural artistic and historical potential of the two countries If we manage to set up direct air links between Prague and Casablanca Marrakech or Agadir we can establish links with other countries in the Mediterranean area Less than a three hour flight from Prague Morocco offers a very varied climate In the south you have the Sahara where you can ski on dunes an activity which is becoming ever more popular We can also offer fishing and diving and in the mountains you can ski for almost four months a year The most known Moroccan cities thanks to films like Casablanca or Tangier co exist with cities with a rich thousand year old history like Fez and Marrakech They conceal the diversity and richness of the Moroccan people which for many are seen as the most Western of the Middle Eastern and Islamic countries Moreover the Moroccan people play their part in the Andalusian heritage of Spain and thus Europe Their influence can be seen in European music architecture and culture Away from work how do you spend your free time In the Czech Republic spare time is a time of culture The architecture of the city its works of art opera and the theatre are new things for me and there are so many that it will take me many years to get to know them But it is in the museums of Prague that one can measure the extent of a culture and knowledge of it To the compatriots who ask me what Prague is like I answer that it is a city which enchants me as much as it will charm you By David Craighton českou verzi naleznete na www leadersmagazine cz After graduating in law and political sciences Rachid Idrissi Kaitouni started his professional career as a professorresearcher at Mohammed VI University and the National School of Administration in Rabat He was then appointed as Director of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco He was Secretary General of the Parliament of Morocco for 17 years during which he participated actively in more than 30 seminars and international parliamentary conferences In 2005 he was appointed by King Mohammed VI as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic
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