Officials from the Irish and Moroccan governments are to meet shortly to discuss ways in which trade and other economic relations between the two countries can be improved, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said after an hour-long meeting with Morocco's King Muhammad VI at his palace in Marrakesh.
"The King is very anxious that Morocco should expand and extend its regional influence," Mr Ahern said afterwards. "He is very happy with Morocco's partnership agreement with the European Union but he would also like to bilaterally develop closer contacts with other countries.
"He has done this with Spain and France - the French of course having a special historical position. What he would like to do is develop a similar framework with Ireland."
The Taoiseach said the King was "very well briefed on technology and tourism and on the improvements of Ireland". Mr Ahern said there "there clearly is a value for us to examine what is the potential for Irish business here".
The visit arose out of contacts with Morocco in the campaign for the Irish seat on the UN Security Council, when the King's brother, Rashid, personally extended an invitation to the Taoiseach. "They have decided that Europe is the road for them to go, to build up contacts with Europe."
He said King Muhammad had been "at pains" to inform him of his intention to set about implementing the UN human rights agenda.
The Taoiseach has been accompanied on his Mediterranean tour by his partner, Ms Celia Larkin, for whom a separate programme was arranged for part of the time in each country - Malta, Cyprus and Morocco. Ms Larkin, who met women's groups in Cyprus and Morocco, told journalists that the basic issues were the same for women everywhere although they took different forms.
In Morocco there were only three women in parliament and, as in other countries, "to get women to stand is difficult". Another key issue of interest to women activists in Morocco was the need to raise the marriage age from 15 to 18 and to persuade families of the importance of educating daughters.