Over recent years, Morocco and the UK have featured in the headlines as they work tirelessly to enhance bilateral ties across all sectors, notably since the UK activated its break away from the EU.
Nevertheless, the elephant in the room remains, as the UK has yet to support the country’s sovereignty over the Moroccan Sahara.
However, there have been indications that this could soon change. Earlier this week, UK Members of Parliament named the Moroccan autonomy plan “the best option” to settle the Sahara issues at a House of Commons meeting.
Former UK Defense Minister Dr. Liam Fox made similar comments when he called on the British parliament to support Morocco’s sovereignty at the start of the year. The Conservative party member, wants the UK to strengthen ties with Rabat.
The UK’s reluctance to follow in America’s footsteps and back Morocco’s autonomy plan is arguably the final piece to the puzzle; holding back the nation’s bilateral ties from reaching their full potential.
Looking back over the past 12 months, strategic partnerships between the pair have formed, specifically in the trade realm. The UK is an attractive alternative trade partner, while the EU and Morocco face ongoing difficulties renewing their long-standing fisheries agreement. The issues preventing the renewal subsequently pushed other agricultural trade agreements into question between Morocco and the bloc.
Trade between the two shows no signs of easing up, especially as the current agreement states that the countries are required to consider another three years of tariff liberalization on agriculture and fisheries products. To this end, the UK government said: “Both parties agreed to work towards a mutually beneficial and balanced outcome of the review.”
The UK’s Department for Business and Trade reported that by the end of last year, the total volume of imports and exports between the UK and Morocco exceeded 4.4 billion dollars. The figure represented an increase of 6.5% from the year before.
Not only, does Morocco help the UK stock its supermarket shelves supporting the nation to overcome its supply shortages, but it also lends its expertise to the UK’s green energy sector.
Renewable energy has become a priority for the UK as the country grapples with the cost of living crisis, predominantly led by sky-high energy bills. Considering the UK’s urgent need for renewable energy support, the Xlinks project is a light at the end of the tunnel for the UK. The project will connect a renewable energy plant in Morocco to the UK supplying the nation with power through an underwater 4,000 km-long cable.
Beyond economy-focused sectors, the UK views Morocco as a credible partner that is essential for the stability, peace, and development in West Africa, the Sahel-Saharan and Mediterranean regions, MAP reported.
British schooling has become increasingly common in Morocco, with multiple educational institutions opening last year alone. The shift marks Morocco’s pull away from former French colonial ties while recognizing the power of English in the business and economy sphere.
To bolster Morocco’s determination to increase English learning new partnerships have formed such as the Casablanca-based faculties with courses accredited by the UK’s Coventry University.