Israeli agriculture ministers discuss food security, water crisis

By Khalid Mejdoup

RABAT, Morocco (AA) - Moroccan Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohamed Seddiqi, discussed several issues Friday regarding food security and the water crisis with his is Israeli counterpart, Avi Dichter, according to a statement.

“I was honored to attend the international conference ‘Health in Africa: Water, environment and food security’ in Marrakesh,” according to the head of the Israeli liaison office in Morocco, David Govrin.

Dichter and Seddiqi discussed issues that “threatens the world’s population,” said Govrin.

There were no statements by the ministries of the two countries regarding the meeting.

Dichter is conducting an indefinite visit to Morocco, where he met several officials, according to the statement by Govrin.

Morocco is hosting the second African Conference on Health Risk Reduction from Sept. 27 - 29 in Marrakesh.

The country has been experiencing a drought for years that is affecting the agricultural sector, which employs more than 40% of the total workforce in Morocco.

Ties between Morocco and Israel have improved in recent months after the two countries signed a US-sponsored agreement to normalize relations.

Morocco was the fourth Arab country to normalize ties with Tel Aviv in 2020 after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan, in a move decried by Palestinians as a “stab in the back.”

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi