JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is open to boosting the presence of Moroccan companies and investments in the Kingdom, trade minister Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi has said. Al Qasabi made these remarks while attending the Moroccan-Saudi business forum in Jeddah on April 18. He added that it is necessary to strengthen contacts between government officials and private sector leaders from Saudi Arabia and Morocco. Ryad Mezzour, Morocco’s minister of industry and trade, said there is an urgency of investing in human capital by raising the number of Moroccan employees in Saudi Arabia from 22,000 to approximately 500,000. During the event, both ministers also discussed the measures that should be taken to increase bilateral trade between the two countries. Mezzour urged more actions to remove obstacles that have been impeding trade between the nations. He also talked about the need to create a shipping line in order to boost commerce, and made it clear that Morocco seeks to benefit from Saudi Arabia’s expertise in the field of industrial zones.