Marruecos fortalece la cooperación económica con el Golfo

Among the priorities of the current Moroccan government, economic recovery plays a key role. The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have had a negative impact on the country's economy. According to data from the International Monetary Fund, Morocco's Gross Domestic Product increased by 2.5 % in 2019 compared to the previous year. However, in 2020, as a result of the consequences of COVID-19, GDP decreased by 7 %.Faced with this situation, Rabat has taken measures to alleviate the consequences of the pandemic, boosting sectors such as tourism, textiles and the energy industry.

Externally, the Kingdom has strengthened its partnership with major economic powers such as China. Trade with the Asian giant reached a record high in 2021, raising 6 billion dollars. Morocco's trade ties with the European Union are also noteworthy.

With the aim of maintaining and boosting economic cooperation at the international level, the Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, travelled to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to meet with her partners in the Gulf region. 

In Riyadh, Alaoui discussed with her Saudi counterpart, Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, measures to strengthen cooperation in economic and commercial matters. According to Moroccan media, they also discussed other issues of interest to the Ministries of Economy of both countries.

Saudi Arabia, one of the main investors in Morocco, also maintains good political relations with the Alawi Kingdom. Riyadh has expressed 'its unwavering support for Morocco's territorial unity', while Rabat has backed the Kingdom in 'defending its stability, territorial integrity and security', and praised 'its initiative to resolve the crisis in Yemen'.

In this regard, Morocco was one of the first states to support the Saudi intervention in Yemen against the Houthis. Rabat also made fighter jets available to the Arab coalition to fight the rebels. Rabat and Riyadh also take a similar stance towards Iran, with which neither kingdom maintains diplomatic relations. 

However, relations between Riyadh and Rabat cooled significantly due to Morocco's neutrality towards the 2017 Gulf crisis, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a blockade on Qatar, accusing it of funding terrorist groups.

Doha is also key to Rabat's trade relations. For this reason, Minister Alaoui also met with her Qatari counterpart, Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari. During the meeting, the two presented ways to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. On the political front, Qatar supports the Moroccan plan for the Sahara, considering it "a constructive initiative and a basis for any realistic solution", as its representative to the United Nations declared last October.

Alaoui's trip to the Persian Gulf comes just days after a telematic meeting between Nasser Bourita, Moroccan foreign minister, and Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf, secretary general of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). During the summit, Al-Hajraf reiterated the support of the countries of the region for the Moroccan Sahara and the "territorial defence" of the Alaouite Kingdom.