The Russian Federation is aiming to increase ties with Morocco as part of its strategy to subvert sanctions imposed by the US and the EU following its armed conflict with Ukraine, said Emil Avdaliani, professor at European University and the Director of Middle East Studies at the Georgian think tank, Geocase.
Avdaliani outlines the growing relationship in an opinion piece published in Russia Briefing on Wednesday, saying that the bilateral trade between the two countries has grown in the last few years, even though Morocco is currently Russia’s third biggest trading partner in Africa following Egypt and Algeria.
In 2021, Russia’s exports to Morocco reached $1.6 billion, up 58.50% from the previous year. This is a significant part of Russia’s overall trade with Africa: in 2022 Russia’s total agricultural trade with Africa reached $6.7 billion.
Russia traditionally imports fruits and nuts, and light industry products in addition to lumber, cars, veterinary vaccines, and IT services from Morocco and other African nations.
Morocco imports oil, diesel, coal, inorganic chemicals, and grain, and Russian grain producers have expressed particular interest in Morocco as a trading partner as it is the top African importer of wheat, especially after Morocco announced it would be importing about 2.5 million tons of wheat by June 2024.
Because Morocco imposes import taxes sometimes as high as 40%, Russian businesses are seeking to establish joint ventures in Morocco, and therefore receive more favorable trade and import terms from the Kingdom.
Gaining inroads into Morocco would also allow Russian exporters to further export to countries with whom Morocco has free trade zone agreements. Morocco has trade agreements with 62 countries and is a member the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (FTA).
Morocco also seeks to establish direct free trade agreements with Russia and its partners and garner their investment. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in August 2023 that Morocco will be among the countries to enter Free Trade Agreements with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Russia is also an investor in the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline, as well as water and other alternative energy ventures in the Kingdom. Russia also has expressed interest in Morocco’s phosphate and uranium reserves.
Despite the above-mentioned successful collaborations, Avdaliani explained that Russia has been delayed, as compared to China, the E.U., and the U.S., in developing relations with Morocco. Russia does not have full knowledge about the internal politics of Morocco.
As an example, Avdalini cites a planned investment by a Russian company in Morocco to build electric buses. However, a change in government in Morocco that the Russian side had failed to anticipate, caused negotiations to stall.
Avdaliani concludes the article stating that trade and investment between Russia and Morocco are growing, but that “relations between Russia and Morocco are more trade-based and much will depend on how Russia’s economy will fare in the coming years.”