Strengthening Economic Partnership Between Morocco and Russia: New Horizons for the Trade and Technology Sectors
On the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, a fruitful meeting took place between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad. This meeting, which caught the attention of the Russian media, comes at a time when economic relations between the two countries are witnessing continuous growth, opening new horizons for enhancing trade exchanges and exploring multiple partnership opportunities across various sectors.
According to Russian media reports, trade exchanges between Morocco and Russia have experienced significant growth, reaching approximately $3 billion in 2024. Both countries continue to explore new horizons to enhance economic cooperation, particularly in establishing a free trade zone between Russia and North African countries, including Morocco, despite some challenges related to the fluctuating tariff system within the kingdom.
Russian importers show particular interest in Moroccan agricultural products, such as grapes, citrus fruits, nuts, and cocoa beans. Meanwhile, Morocco has maintained close trade relations with certain Russian regions, where trade with the Republic of Bashkortostan has increased thirtyfold over the past five years, reflecting the regions’ ability to identify trade partners that align with their economic needs.
On the other hand, Russia exports oil, diesel, coal, and inorganic chemicals to Morocco, in addition to an increasing amount of fertilizers and construction materials such as stone, plaster, aluminum, and grains. In return, Morocco imports fruits, nuts, light industry products, wood, cars, as well as veterinary vaccines and IT services from Russia.
Morocco represents an important market for Russian grains, being one of the largest wheat importers in Africa. In 2024, Morocco imported Russian agricultural products worth $280 million, most of which consisted of wheat, allowing Russia to surpass France as the main source of wheat amid strained relations between Rabat and Paris.
To enhance maritime cooperation between the two countries, Morocco signed a new four-year fishing agreement with Russia in 2025, allowing the Russian fleet access to up to 80,000 tons of marine resources, including sardines, sardine-like fish, mackerel, and anchovies. This agreement contributes to strengthening maritime trade between the two countries and expanding cooperation in the fishing sector.
Relations between the two countries are also expanding into other sectors, such as pharmaceuticals. Russia exports various medications to Morocco, while some Russian producers are seeking investment opportunities in the kingdom, which serves as an important platform for accessing markets in the Middle East and North Africa. At the same time, the expansion of healthcare coverage in Morocco is increasing the demand for medicines, especially insulin, vaccines, and cancer drugs, enhancing collaboration opportunities between Russian and Moroccan companies in this field.
In the IT sector, Russian companies are investing in supporting Morocco’s national digital strategy, which aims to transform the country into a leading technological hub in Africa by 2030. This investment includes the development of digital governmental services, the rollout of 5G networks, the construction of data centers, and the expansion of IT education programs, enabling Russian companies to access opportunities in cybersecurity, digital governance, agricultural technologies, and smart transport systems.
There is also an increase in the number of Russian tourists choosing Morocco as an alternative destination outside of Europe, making the kingdom the top African destination for Russian tourists. This rise in tourism reflects the growing economic and cultural relations between the two countries.
Overall, the cooperation between Morocco and Russia is undergoing a qualitative transformation across many vital sectors, from trade and industry to technology and tourism. This trajectory is leading the relations between the two countries toward a new phase of strategic partnership that opens up further economic and commercial opportunities in the future.
