Innovation Diplomacy Paves Way for Israeli, Moroccan Business Collaboration

Entrepreneurs and government officials at the conference in Casablanca, and many on the streets of Rabat, are optimistic about the deepening economic and political ties between the countries

“It has been only 18 months since we signed and re-established the diplomatic relationships with the Kingdom of Morocco,” said Israeli Science and Technology Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen, addressing the final session of the Morocco-Israel Connect to Innovate conference in Casablanca. “And while governments sign treaties, people are the ones who are actually building the peace.”

Peacebuilding through the forging of business ties, particularly in high-tech, brought Israeli and Moroccan innovators and investors together in Casablanca, Morocco for the three-day conference to discuss cooperation in the fields of green energy, water, and agrotech.

The conference is an initiative of the Israeli nongovernmental organization Start-Up Nation Central {SNC), intended to bring investors and innovators from both countries closer together, and find tech solutions to regional problems.

Yosef Abramowitz, CEO of Energiya Global Capital, told The Media Line that the experience of the Abraham Accords showed how business and political partnerships go hand in hand.

Deepening ties with Morocco, he said, would help facilitate closer relations between Israel and additional Muslim countries in Africa – first economic and business ties and later, formal political ties, as well.

“I think it’s important that we have some facts on the ground relatively quickly – quick deals here in Morocco so that it will be an incentive for other countries to join the Abraham Accords.”

Abramowitz predicts that his company’s entrepreneurship in the field of solar energy could lead the way: “We are indirectly in contact with a good number of Muslim countries in Africa that do not have relations [with Israel] that say, ‘Look, we want to work toward joining the Abraham Accords formally but let’s start with economic ties. Could you invest and create the solar industry in our countries?’ And the answer is yes!”

Zakariya el-Mujahid, digital ecosystem director in Morocco’s Agency for Digital Development (ADD), sees great potential for collaboration between Israeli high-tech companies and the people of Morocco. “We’ve been discussing a lot about how we can develop human capital. This is very important for SNC and this is very important for Morocco,” he told The Media Line. “It’s important for SNC because we would like to leverage the human capital in order to be attractive for Israeli companies that would like to open branches here in Morocco, … This will correspond to a win-win challenge between SNC and ADD.”

On the streets of Rabat, which once had a large Jewish population, some local residents expressed their concern – particularly when the cameras were turned off – that in strengthening ties with Israel, Morocco was abandoning the Palestinian issue. But many were as enthusiastic as the entrepreneurs and business leaders about ties with Israel. “The more we’re closer, good things will happen. … It’s going to bring more tourists, more work, more technology. … The more we share, the stronger we get,” storeowner Kenzay Shwafni told The Media Line.

The writers were guests of Start-Up Nation Central at the conference.