Kenya and Morocco strengthen their alliance: more trade, infrastructure and a shared vision for Africa
The recent state visit of the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kenya, Musalia Mudavadi, to Morocco was not just another diplomatic tour, but a clear sign that both countries are committed to a long-term relationship with implications that transcend the bilateral, sincere cooperation and high expectations for trade in the short, medium and long term, commemorating 60 years of bilateral relations between Rabat and Nairobi.
- Summit with Akhannouch: agreements that go beyond protocol
- More investment
- Tangier Med: the port that is transforming a country
- Africa Day: more than a speech, a roadmap
The visit began with a preliminary meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to Morocco, Jessica Gakinya, followed by the inauguration of the Kenyan Embassy in Rabat, and culminated in the official announcement of Kenya's support for the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara promoted by the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI in 2007, with the signing of five memoranda of understanding at all levels for the development of both countries, positioning Kenya as Morocco's gateway to East African countries, and with support for the Royal Atlantic Coast Initiative, also promoted by Mohammed VI.
During the trip, the Kenyan delegation visited some of the key players in the country's economic and commercial development and growth, from Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to the directors general of Tanger Med and the Moroccan National Railways Office (ONCF).
It was not all business. The trip had a strong social component, with several meetings between the Kenyan delegation and members of the diaspora in various Moroccan cities. These meetings highlighted major advances in public policies such as affordable housing and universal health coverage.
Summit with Akhannouch: agreements that go beyond protocol
One of the most significant meetings was with Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch. According to Kenyan Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, the talks focused on key sectors for both economies: agriculture, trade, tourism, industry and education.
However, unlike other meetings, this one was not superficial, as concrete agreements were reached. Morocco offered to increase imports of Kenyan tea and coffee, a gesture that may seem symbolic but in reality responds to a need to balance a trade balance that has historically been skewed towards Rabat. It should be remembered that Kenya is one of the main drivers of agriculture on the continent, which is heavily dependent on fertilisers and therefore on phosphates, of which Morocco is one of the world's largest producers.
In addition, it was agreed to immediately begin negotiations to facilitate the entry of Kenyan products into the Moroccan market, which opens up great opportunities for companies in the sector in both countries and symbolises a change of attitude towards the absence of intermediaries, establishing an Africa-Africa dialogue.
As if that were not enough, Akhannouch confirmed that he will visit Kenya soon, accompanied by the country's most important business leaders, as a gesture of goodwill and cooperation, which Mudavadi and Akhannouch described as ‘sincere and with high expectations’, thus transforming diplomacy into a bridge for business, which suggests that the visit will be a real opportunity for anyone wishing to do business in both Kenya and Morocco.
More investment
Another highlight of the official visit to Kenya was the meeting with the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour. There, the commitments previously agreed with Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to import more Kenyan agricultural products were consolidated.
The announcement of the resumption of direct routes between Nairobi and major cities in the country, such as Rabat and Casablanca, will facilitate the growth of the tourism sector, one of the main objectives of the Moroccan kingdom to reach 20 million visitors this year and 40 million by 2030. But that's not all: this resumption will help reduce logistics costs and foster connections between people from both nations.
In view of this, Mudavadi pointed out that his country has been closely observing the Moroccan tourism model, which he described as one of the best in the world, as the sector has continued to grow since the slowdown it suffered after the pandemic, already doubling pre-pandemic figures in just four years.
This is hardly surprising, as Morocco has gone from 12 million visitors to an ambitious target of 20 million by 2025. ‘Collaboration in this field can open up new sources of income and promote a stronger image of the continent,’ said Musalia Mudavadi.
During his stay with Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour, the Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs also met with Mohamed Rabie Khlie, Director General and CEO of the National Railways Office (ONCF).
‘Morocco continues to set the pace in infrastructure development in Africa, with its high-speed rail line connecting Tangier and Casablanca at an impressive speed of 320 km/h, the third fastest in the world,’ Mudavadi said. The railway network is a symbol of African modernity, and Kenya has announced its interest in collaborating with Morocco in this field, as, according to the Kenyan minister, ‘transport remains a bottleneck for our country’.
Tangier Med: the port that is transforming a country
One of the must-see stops on the Kenyan delegation's itinerary was a visit to the Port of Tangier Med.
In less than twenty years, the port has gone from being an idea to becoming the most important port on the continent and one of the 15 ports that moves the most containers per year. But Tangier Med is not only a transport hub; it also produces cars, textiles and technology.
But if one thing caught Kenya's attention, it was the development model. The Kenyan delegation praised this model and, above all, asked the Moroccan authorities for help in adapting it to the country's needs and infrastructure so that, like Morocco on the Atlantic coast, Kenya can become the main logistics hub in East Africa.
Africa Day: more than a speech, a roadmap
In addition to visits with the country's main economic entities, the Kenyan delegation and Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita, as part of Africa Day, delivered a powerful speech that lacked euphemisms and addressed the issues that most urgently require an early response for Africans: increasing the added value of their products. ‘Morocco does not theorise about solidarity, it implements it,’ said Nasser Bourita.
At the event, the message that was sought to be conveyed was clear: African integration into the global economy should not be considered a luxury, but a goal to which all countries on the continent must commit.
Africa has the largest young population in the world, so an increase in investment in education could catapult the continent forward. However, by 2040, one in two young people will be African, making the need to improve and boost the continent's socio-economic development urgent. In response to this, Morocco presented itself as a partner willing to contribute in every way and to everyone.
Finally, Kenya took the opportunity to insist on reform of the UN Security Council. With more than 1.4 billion inhabitants, Africa still does not have a voice to represent its interests in the world's most important security body. This issue will be addressed at the next C10 summit in Lusaka, which will be an opportunity to strengthen a common position.
