Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has highlighted the UK’s doubling of trade with Morocco since Brexit as a testament to the advantages of leaving the EU, reported British national newspaper The Daily Express.
“In yet another Brexit boost for Britain next year, Morocco is looking for a trade and security deal with the UK pointing out that it has become ‘the gateway to Africa’ in terms of goods and access,” the paper wrote, noting that Morocco is “already connecting with Kemi Badenoch’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT).”
The Kingdom of Morocco views itself as an ideal African trade partner for post-Brexit Britain due to its stability and parallels with the UK as a constitutional monarchy under King Mohammed VI.
Morocco’s Ambassador to the UK Hakim Hajoui stated that British consumers can now obtain better and cheaper produce, such as tomatoes, from Morocco compared to the EU.
Morocco already supplies 45 percent of tomatoes to the UK market, offering more affordable and sustainable options without relying on expensive heating systems.
Hajoui also highlighted Morocco’s growing automotive industry, producing 700,000 cars annually. He expressed optimism about the potential for a deal with the UK, spanning a number of business and security sectors, and emphasized a better cultural alignment of Morocco with the UK than with its previous colonial power, France.
The deepening relationship between the UK and Morocco was further underscored when Morocco chose the UK as an international aid partner in lieu of France following Morocco’s devastating earthquake in September.
The newspaper also noted the potential for the UK to tap into Africa’s burgeoning consumer market, using Morocco as a gateway to the continent.