Rabat – Regional consultations on the development of Morocco’s foreign trade roadmap for 2025-2026 have yielded a total of 524 proposals.
Omar Hejira, Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry and Commerce, in charge of Foreign Trade, announced the news during a session at the House of Representatives on Monday.
Answering questions on the matter during the parliamentary session, Hejira stated that 80% of the submissions originate from regional stakeholders and that the remaining 20% (113 proposals) stem from the central government.
These proposals are being strategically deployed to target focal areas necessary for the field’s expansion, he explained.
Most of these consist of boosting competitiveness, streamlining administrative procedures, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, diversifying export markets, particularly across Africa, and strengthening the resilience of the export sector.
When talking about Morocco’s sectorial specificities, Hejira said that six key industries account for 92% of Moroccan exports: automobiles (34.4%), agriculture and food industries (19.3%), phosphates and derivatives (17.8%), leather products (10.7%), aviation (5.3%), and electronics (4.3%).
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The minister also noted that the consultations brought together over 1,200 participants in less than a month and represented a wide array of stakeholders from regional and central levels such as the General Confederation of Moroccan Entreprises (CGEM), industry federations, and some leaders from the chamber of commerce, industry, and services.
Another salient point raised by the minister during the session is that 85% of Morocco’s exports are concentrated in merely three regions. This outcome points to the need for a more balanced approach to economic development across the country to avoid any kinds of unnecessary or adverse discrepancies.
Hejira noted that Moroccan exports reached MAD 430 billion in 2023, while imports amounted to MAD 716 billion, and that improving the trade deficit will require more concerted efforts to invigorate the export sector.
Moreover, the minister pointed out that the European market continues to lead Moroccan exports, with 70% of goods directed to Europe, especially Spain and France, which combined represent nearly half of the total.
In another positive development for Morocco, the country’s foreign direct investment (FDI) reached MAD 16.3 billion (approximately $1.6 billion) in the first nine months of 2024, marking a significant 50.7% year-on-year increase.
Announcing this growth during a parliamentary session in November, Head of Government Akhannouch attributed it to Morocco’s new investment charter and recent efforts to position the country as a regional leader in high-value industries.
