2023-12-26 17:41:00
London and Rabat are preparing an agreement covering both the commercial and security aspects, due to come into force in 2024. Morocco is seen by the British as a springboard towards Africa
The rapprochement between Morocco and the United Kingdom continues, as the latter considers a major post-Brexit trade and security agreement with Morocco. The deal, backed by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and expected to begin to materialize as early as 2024, could open up huge opportunities across the African continent for the UK.
According to the British press, the conclusion of this agreement would constitute “ another post-Brexit victory » for the United Kingdom, as highlighted by the former Prime Minister who estimated that the doubling of trade with Morocco since Brexit, even before the signing of a new advanced trade agreement, is an example of the advantages of leave the European Union.
“Promising prospects”
The desire to cultivate such a partnership is mutual. According to the same sources, the kingdom is already in contact with the British Department of Trade and Business (DBT). And Morocco presents itself as an ideal African trading partner for the post-Brexit United Kingdom, because “ it is one of the most stable countries in the region and, as a monarchy under the reign of its current King Mohammed VI, bears similarities to the United Kingdom ».
This was also confirmed by the kingdom’s ambassador to London, Hakim Hajoui, who explained in an interview with Daily Express the assets of the kingdom. As Morocco increasingly supplies the British market with its agricultural product needs and Moroccan exports of fruit and vegetables to this country flourish, a broader partnership would only be beneficial in many more ways.
« We can offer much more than fresh tomatoes and raspberries. Take energy for example. Morocco has invested massively in renewable energy and has the potential to contribute to the energy security of its strategic partners », underlined by way of example the ambassador of Morocco, not without omitting other sectors, such as the automobile or even security sectors. Thus, the prospects for a Morocco-Kingdom agreement are “ extremely promising ».
Opening to Africa
Beyond these advantages, a partnership with Morocco is of strategic importance for the United Kingdom, in terms of presence in Africa and penetration of African markets. Morocco is in fact “ the gateway to Africa for the United Kingdom », Considered Hajoui. According to him, this opening on the continent is accompanied by commercial possibilities “ considerable » in one of the most important markets of tomorrow.
At this level, the United Kingdom would not only benefit from the kingdom’s strategic location and its place as a continental leader, but also from long experience in promoting investment and developing several markets in Africa. The country is in fact the second largest African investor on the continent, with two thirds of its foreign direct investments going to Africa.
Also on the security aspect, an agreement with Morocco represents a major advantage for the United Kingdom. As a major regional player in North Africa and the Middle East, with the war between Israel and Gaza causing further uncertainty, Morocco is offering security support for food and energy supplies, as well as for defense and intelligence.
A “natural” rapprochement
While economic and security considerations make a partnership with Morocco a strategic move for the UK after leaving the EU, other factors reinforce the reasoning behind the idea. For the Moroccan ambassador, the rapprochement between the two kingdoms is driven by the societal and cultural changes that Morocco is experiencing internally. This rapprochement, according to Hajoui, is made “ in a context of change that is happening in Morocco in a very natural, organic way, among younger generations, who now speak English fluently, which is very important for business ».
Thus, culturally, while it is moving away from France, its traditional partner with whom relations have deteriorated for some time, Morocco is moving closer to the United Kingdom and moving away from its previous colonial power. And to further illustrate this, the British media emphasizes that “ Growing ties between the two countries became more evident when Morocco chose the UK over France as its international aid partner after the catastrophic earthquake that struck it earlier this year ».
However, although encouraged by the post-Brexit context, the partnership between Morocco and the United Kingdom is anything but contextual. Indeed, the two countries have long cultivated distinguished relations in different fields. In the area of trade, for example, the two countries maintain an association agreement aimed at promoting trade by granting advantages to imports from Morocco. These advantages are expected to further solidify as the British government plans to lower import duties on Moroccan agricultural and fishing products.
Once the UK left the EU, the country made preserving its cooperative ties with Morocco a priority. This was reflected in the global association agreement signed in 2019 which restored in the context of bilateral relations, all the advantages that they granted each other within the framework of the Association Agreement Morocco-European Union. The objective of this was precisely to avoid any breakdown in the bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Morocco that could result from the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union.
Since then, cooperation between the two kingdoms in different areas has continued to develop, while trade has been on an upward trend. According to data shared last June by the British Ambassador to Rabat, Simon Martin, in an interview with MAP, trade between the two countries has doubled since 2019 to stand at more than 3 billion pounds sterling (40 billion dirhams). Although reflecting a real leap in their economic relations, the two countries do not intend to stop there.
As Martin pointed out, during a webinar organized by BritCham under the theme Morocco and the United Kingdom: an evolving agreement, “ this level still remains insufficient given the enormous potential on both sides “. Thus, in order to further boost their commercial relations and new means to develop them further are constantly explored. It is also with this same objective that the British agency UK Export Finance has put on the table four billion pounds sterling or 51 billion dirhams to finance joint projects in Morocco in several sectors such as energy, infrastructure, real estate but also projects relating to the organization of the World Cup. This funding will help Moroccan companies access support to carry out their projects under the condition that at least 20% of the total contract value comes from British suppliers.
©️ Pulse Media. All rights reserved.
Reproduction and distribution prohibited (photocopies, intranet, web, messaging, newsletters, monitoring tools) without written authorization
1703615078
#United #Kingdom #plans #sign #unprecedented #agreement #Morocco