Rabat – The UK and Morocco are aiming to vastly expand on existing trade relations and invest in developing new ties in education and green energy. The British embassy in Morocco is taking part in the UK Chamber of Commerce’s global trade month with the goal of “mobilising international trade and investment, showcasing strategic top global trading partners of the UK.”
One of those “strategic top global trading partners” is Morocco. Following the UK decision to leave the EU, Morocco is one of the promising markets the British are keen to expand relations with.
Morocco and the UK are celebrating three centuries of trade relations, marking the 1721 trade agreement signed in Fez. Marking the occasion in an interview with Moroccan outlet Le360, British ambassador Martin Simon spoke of bilateral plans to expand economic ties and announced new initiatives that aim to see more Moroccan students study in the UK.
Building trade relations between the two kingdoms means building on already strong economic ties. Ambassador Simon highlighted that the UK already exports vast amounts of refined petroleum, gas, cars and components for aircraft to Morocco, while the north African country primarily exports fresh vegetables and fruits from its important agricultural sector.
“Every day my mother tells me, I saw peaches, lemons and especially Moroccan tomatoes and olives at the supermarket,” Ambassador Simon told Le360, as an example of the extent Moroccan exports already feature in British daily life.
But both the British and Moroccans see far greater potential in the future. Simon described the two countries as having “very complementary economies,” particularly in Morocco’s world-class initiatives in green energy and green hydrogen. The British see Morocco as a country that can become a key exporter of green energy to Europe.
“Morocco is a world leader in renewable energies, there are more and more investment opportunities in this sector,” Simon stated in his interview with Le360.
While Morocco’s reputation on green technology holds much promise for the UK, the British aim to leverage their famous institutions in higher education, aiming to welcome more Moroccan students to their universities.
British universities such as Cambridge and Oxford are some of the world’s most prestigious and well-known universities, and the UK aims to welcome more young Moroccans to its higher education institutions to cement the growing ties between the two countries.
Simon recognized that British higher education is expensive and expressed the hope that a new scholarship program can bridge the gap. The UK has launched the “Chevening Scholarships” program that provides a “fully funded” scholarship for one-year master’s degrees at UK universities.
Regarding Western Sahara, Simon reconfirmed his country’s foreign policy stance that backs the UN-led political process as the most viable conduit for a peaceful resolution to the decades-long conflict in Morocco’s southern provinces.
