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Rabat – Recent data shows positive momentum in trade between Morocco and Turkiye, which reached $5 billion for the first time in 2025.
Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency quoted Morocco’s ambassador to Ankara, Mohammed Ali Lazreq, who commended ties between the two countries.
The ambassador said relations between the two countries have reached “tangible momentum” in recent years, citing economic and commercial fields as key factors in strengthening ties between Rabat and Ankara.
“Trade volume has, for the first time since the free trade agreement entered into force, surpassed the $5 billion level,” Lazraq said in his statement to AA.
The Moroccan ambassador, however, acknowledged how the growing volume of trade is benefiting Turkiye. This is reflected through strong demand for Turkish goods and services, which contributes to a widening Moroccan trade deficit.
The ambassador cited meetings in both Ankara and Rabat focusing on coming up wit ha better balanced roadmap to tackle these imbalances, and a win-win mechanism for serving both countries’ interests.
In recent years, there have been rising concerns as to the challenges that local Moroccan shops and markets face due to the expansion of Turkish grocery chain BIM in Morocco.
In 2020, former Minister of Industry Moulay Hafid Elalamy said BIM’s expansion caused the closure of dozens of local shops and markets, saying at least 60 shops close each time the Turkish company opens a branch in their neighborhood.
Elalamy also expressed concerns over the Free Trade Agreement with Turkiye, which came into effect in 2006.
He said back then that the deficit due to FTA with Turkiye reached MAD 18 billion since Morocco does not import hydrocarbons from Ankara.
The minister warned that the Turkish textile sector is the most problematic sector, citing that Morocco lost 44,000 jobs within this industry alone in 2017.
In 2020, BIM responded to Elalamy’s concerns, saying that the chain buy 85% of products sold in its stores from Morocco. The company also emphasized how it provides job opportunities to more than 3,000 people in Morocco.
In his recent interview with the Turkish agency, Ambassador Lazreq also discussed Morocco’s business climate, describing it as an attractive destination for international investors.
The ambassador recalled the country’s position in the global market as well as its geographic positioning as appealing factors for investors. Morocco aims to position itself as a competitive industrial and logistics hub and a bridge between Europe and Africa, the diplomat added.
Calling for deeper ties between the two countries, Lazraq emphasized the upcoming opportunities for international investors — including Morocco’s campaign for the 2030 World Cup.
He said such an event generates new opportunities in investments and beyond, inviting Turkish companies to explore Morocco’s offers and benefit from the country’s trade, openness, and beyond.
