The African Centre of India (ACoI) recently held wide-ranging discussions with His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Maliki, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to India. The leadership team of the African Centre, comprising Rao Narender Yadav and Gaurav Gautam, called on the Ambassador to explore avenues for deeper cultural connect and people-to-people to engagement.
Ambassador Maliki highlighted the deep historical ties between the two nations, tracing back to the 14th century travels of the legendary Moroccan scholar Ibn Battuta, who served at the court of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq in Delhi. This civilizational connection, he noted, forms the bedrock of modern diplomatic goodwill and cultural affinity between the peoples of India and Morocco.
The discussion also touched upon the evolving opportunities of trade and investment between the two countries. With Morocco emerging as India’s primary supplier of phosphate fertilizer, crucial for India’s agricultural sector, the Ambassador emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in fertilizer production, renewable energy, automotive components, and IT services.
Ambassador Maliki appreciated India’s growing corporate footprint in Africa, describing it as a partner committed to inclusive development. The meeting concluded with a renewed call for people-to-people contact, signalling a vibrant future for Indo-Moroccan partnership rooted in shared heritage and mutual aspirations. Also present in the meeting was Said Hijri, Counsellor, Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco.
As a gesture of respect, the Ambassador also presented a replica of the oldest university degree in Morocco—and arguably the world—which originates from Al-Qarawiyyin University, located in Fez. Founded in 859 CE by Fatima al-Fihri, a woman of great learning and piety, it is recognized by UNESCO and the Guinness World Records as the oldest existing and continually operating degree-granting university in the world.