Malaysia, Morocco ink agreement on visa-free travel

The governments of Malaysia and Morocco signed an agreement here today for the partial abolition of the visa requirement.

Malaysia was represented at the signing ceremony by Foreign Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ramlan lbrahim and Morocco by its Ambassador to Malaysia Mohammed Reda Benkhaldoun.

"The agreement shall come into force after all requirements have been fulfilled by both countries," Ramlan told reporters after the signing ceremony at Wisma Putra.

He said the partial abolition of the visa requirement would encourage more Malaysians and Moroccans to visit each other's countries. Now, about 3,000 people from either country travel to the other annually.

He also said that 145 Malaysian students were in Morocco while 116 Moroccan students were in Malaysia.

Ramlan said he expected bilateral relations to be enhanced through more official and social visits, and added that he foresaw airlines introducing direct flights between Malaysia and Morocco.

"It will also provide a platform to further enhance economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation between the two countries," he added.

Total trade between the two countries last year stood at RM388.39 million, an increase of 24.9 per cent from 2015.

Malaysia's major exports to Morocco include palm oil and palm oil-based products, electrical and electronic products, machinery and rubber products while the major imports include woven textile, clothing and footwear, chemicals and chemicals products, and fresh, chilled or frozen seafood.