The UK’s Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Morocco, Mr.Rob Butler MP, will be visiting the Kingdom of Morocco from the 29th February to the first March, for the first time since his appointment last December.
This visit is another example of the UK’s high ambition to strengthen trade ties and explore collaborative opportunities in numerous sectors including infrastructure, aerospace, healthcare, agriculture, clean growth, and education.
The UK-Morocco Association Agreement underpins this trading relationship, with UK and Moroccan discussions on enhancing this agreement ongoing. In the four quarters leading up to Q2 2023, bilateral trade in goods and services reached £3.4 billion, with £1.4 billion in UK exports to Morocco and £2 billion in imports from Morocco to the UK.
Rob Butler MP said “We recognize the potential in Morocco as a gateway to Africa and Europe. I’m delighted to be here, and I look forward to working closely with the Moroccan government to drive bilateral trade and investment to unlock jobs, growth and commercial opportunities for Moroccan and UK businesses.”
As Morocco aims to diversify global partnerships, the Ministry for Industry and Trade aspires for the UK to become a top-five trading partner, recognizing its growing importance as an export market.
The UK’s presence in Morocco is expanding, with businesses responding to opportunities to collaborate in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and agriculture.
The trade envoy’s visit aligns with Morocco’s domestic reforms, exploring investment prospects in large-scale infrastructure projects, which are of particular importance ahead of the FIFA 2030 World Cup.
During the visit, the envoy will meet with Moroccan ministers, senior government officials, and representatives from UK businesses in Morocco’s private sector, seeking to align initiatives with Morocco’s development model indicators. The envoy will visit Airbus Atlantic, which is an example of how integrated supply chains within Airbus support jobs in both the UK and Morocco.
The trade envoy will also be present during the announcement of a partnership between London Private Academy, NCUK and the University of Huddersfield, which will allow students here in Morocco to access British higher education through the Business Management programmes provided at London Academy schools.
This visit marks a notable moment in the evolving UK-Morocco trade relations, emphasizing strengthened economic ties, increased investment, and shared prosperity between the two nations.