Egypt and Morocco to open new chapter in trade relations? Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib’s visit to Morocco following reports that the North African nation had put a stop to Egyptian imports has resulted in the inking of several agreements to address Moroccan concerns about a trade imbalance and to increase bilateral trade, according to a statement from the Investment Ministry and another statement from Morocco's Industry and Trade Ministry. To address the trade imbalance and promote bilateral trade, the two sides agreed to establish a “direct line of communication” to address any trade issues that arise, the fast tracking of Moroccan exports into Egypt, and increasing efforts to promote Egyptian imports of Moroccan-made goods — especially for automobiles.

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The two nations are also hoping to get each other’s private sectors on board, with a business-to-business forum for specific sectors set to take place in Egypt in April. Preparations are also underway to activate the Business Council between the two and for the Egypt-Morocco Joint Trade Committee to meet.

Remember: The government sent a high-level delegation to Rabat last week to push for the removal of recent restrictions that have left Egyptian exports piling in Morocco’s ports for two weeks, a government source previously told EnterpriseAM. Nearly 150 containers loaded with ceramics, food products, and insulation materials were said to be stuck at Moroccan ports in an effort to address a trade imbalance in favor of Egypt.

What trade imbalance? Egyptian exports to Morocco came in at USD 898 mn for the first 11 months of 2024, while Egypt-bound Moroccan goods amounted to only USD 42.1 mn, according to Capmas data seen by EnterpriseAM.

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