EU, Morocco Bolster Migration and Border Cooperation
The European Commission said it is working with Rabat to 'deepen' their bilateral relationship through an agreement modeled on existing deals with Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan. These agreements set out commitments on both sides, providing financial and technical support in exchange for stronger border management and cooperation on curbing irregular migration.
At a press conference unveiling the EU 's Global Europe instrument, which seeks to double aid to North African countries in the next budget, Dubravka Suica, the EU Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, highlighted Morocco as a priority partner.
'We already have partnerships with many of them and are trying to strengthen them all. Currently, we are collaborating with Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan. We are working on deepening our partnership with Morocco and will also begin working with Lebanon,' Suica said.
In recent years, the EU signed memoranda of understanding with Tunisia and Egypt during a surge of migrant arrivals in the Central Mediterranean. These agreements form part of the EU's broader strategy to enhance regional stability while managing migration more effectively.
According to EU sources cited by Europa Press, Brussels aims to reach a similar agreement with Morocco. However, they noted that talks are still at an early stage, and no specific timeline has been set for finalizing the deal.
Against this backdrop, Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita met in Brussels on Wednesday with Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the European Commission.
During their high-level meeting, both sides reaffirmed the depth of the Morocco–EU strategic partnership, describing it as grounded in a shared vision of stability, prosperity, and co-development. They recalled progress in various areas of cooperation, including security, trade, energy transition, and addressing shared challenges such as terrorism, irregular migration, and climate change.
Bourita and Kallas exchanged views on regional and international issues, particularly the situations in the Sahel, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. They also shared their views on the importance of close coordination to confront current geopolitical challenges in a spirit of shared responsibility and open dialogue. Tags: BouritaBrusselsEuropean Union and MoroccoMorocco EU cooperation
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Morocco World
30 minutes ago
- Morocco World
Europe Leads Morocco's Trade Despite Slight Drop in 2024
Rabat – Despite a slight decrease, Morocco's trade exchanges remain overwhelmingly dominated by Europe, new data has confirmed. European partners accounted for 62% of Morocco's total trade, the data from the Exchange Office said this month, confirming a modest decrease from 63.2% in 2023. According to the report, about 56.4% of Morocco's imports originated from Europe, while 71.4% of Moroccan exports went to the EU Trade with Europe increased by 4.1% in 2024, reaching MAD 754.9 billion compared to MAD 724.8 billion the previous year. 'A significant 86.6% of this trade was conducted with European Union countries,' the report said, ranking Spain as Morocco's top European trade partner, followed by France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. The same report shed light on a 12.7% increase in trade between Morocco and Asian countries, after a decline of 15.8% in 2023. 'Its share in Morocco's total trade increased … from 18.9% in 2023 to 20.1% in 2024,' the report said, attributing the situation to growing trade with China. China tops the list of leading Asian partners to Morocco for the 13th consecutive year. Kazakhstan and India also contributed to the increase, the report explained. Increased trade with the US also contributed to trade momentum with the Americas, with which commercial exchanges grew by 6.1% Trade between Morocco and the US increased by 15.8%, according to the report. As for Africa, Moroccan trade with other African countries also rose by 6.3% this last year, following a sharp drop of -18.1% in 2023/ 'This increase was largely due to trade with Egypt,' the report said, defining Cairo as Morocco's top African trade partner for the sixth consecutive year. With Oceania, trade remains limited, but improved with a 48.1% increase in 2024, the report said, attributing the growth to increased trade with Australia. Overall, Morocco's trade with the world recorded an increase of 6.3%, compared to a 1.7% decline last year. Imports increased by 6.4% reaching MAD 761.3 billion last year, up from MAD 715.8 billion a year earlier, while exports amounted to MAD 456.3 billion in 2024- marking a 6.1% rise compared to 2023. 'As a result, the trade deficit worsened by 6.8%, standing at MAD-304.9 billion in 2024 compared to MAD-285.6 billion the year before,' the report said. Tags: EU and MoroccoEU and Morocco fisheries agreement
Morocco World
20 hours ago
- Morocco World
Is Morocco Becoming Europe's Backyard? Engineers Earn €1,500 vs €6,500
Marrakech – Morocco's Industry and Trade Minister, Ryad Mezzour, sparked controversy in mid-July when he presented the significant wage gap between Moroccan and European engineers as a strategic advantage during an official meeting at the German ambassador's residence in Rabat. Mezzour revealed that the same highly skilled Moroccan engineer who would cost a company in Germany about €6,500 monthly can be hired in Morocco for just €1,000 to €1,500. The minister described this stark disparity as an opportunity for foreign companies while suggesting engineers would be 'much happier' living in their home country with these wages. 'An engineer who graduates with distinction and goes to work in Munich will cost the company about €6,500 per month between salary and social contributions,' Mezzour stated. He added that the same engineer could be employed in Morocco for between €1,000 and €1,500 for identical work, expressing his belief that 'the engineer will live much happier in his country with a salary that allows him to own an apartment and start a family life.' Human outsourcing Economic analysts told Morocco World News (MWN) that this wage gap raises fundamental questions about the country's development strategy and its role in global value chains. Rather than developing technology or products, Morocco appears to be positioning itself as an exporter of affordable brainpower for multinational companies. While official discourse frames this as 'providing solutions,' critics view it as a form of human outsourcing. The minister also acknowledged that Morocco's economy cannot currently absorb all its trained talent, pushing many skilled Moroccans to seek opportunities abroad. Instead of rethinking the development model to retain these professionals, the government has doubled the number of medical graduates and increased engineering graduates tenfold to produce more exportable talent. 'We used to train 1,500 doctors annually, but 800 of them were recruited each year, especially to Germany,' Mezzour said, continuing that German universities would recruit entire classes of engineers before graduation. Mezzour described these young graduates as 'hungry' to integrate into life and create a future for themselves, insisting they represent 'a tremendous force for those who deal with them respectfully and within a balanced partnership framework that ensures contribution to their valorization within Morocco.' Beyond 'cheaper is better' for sustainable growth Mohammed Afzaz, a Qatar-based Moroccan economic analyst, told MWN that betting solely on the wage gap to attract foreign investment may backfire for the kingdom in the long run. 'Morocco's bet on the 'cheaper is better' principle to attract foreign investments may not be the most suitable wager for the kingdom amid strong competition from other Arab and Asian countries that adopt the same strategy,' Afzaz explained. He cited Vietnam and Bangladesh as countries that tried this model before concluding they needed to support innovation rather than simply being open territory for mobile capital. For Morocco to retain its high-caliber talent, Afzaz suggested a five-point strategy: achieving fair wages with growth guarantees, enabling continuous training opportunities at home and abroad, investing heavily in research and development, supporting innovation and entrepreneurship rather than turning engineers into 'stagnant employees and numbers among other numbers,' and providing social and health protection for professionals and their families. 'Morocco in this critical period of its rising development project needs its competencies to play a central role in leading the desired economic takeoff,' Afzaz stressed, though he acknowledged that preventing talent migration entirely would be impossible given global market demands. Afzaz pointed out that the global context presents unique challenges, adding: 'Trump's ongoing trade wars' and persistently 'high inflation levels no longer exempt any country in the world.' He warned that 'if wages do not move to keep pace with rising prices, purchasing power gradually declines.' Cultural factors offset wage disparities Contributing to the discussion, economist and Director of the Government Work Observatory Mohammed Jadri spoke to MWN about several structural factors he believes help explain why the wage gap hasn't triggered a full-blown talent exodus. 'The lifestyle and cultural attachment: A significant portion of Moroccan engineers prioritize family stability, cultural proximity, and quality of life that the country can offer, especially in major cities like Casablanca, Rabat, or Tangier,' Jadri said. He pointed to growing local opportunities thanks to industrial strategies launched since 2014, the relatively lower cost of living, and government policies encouraging training and professional integration as factors helping Morocco maintain its talent pool. Jadri specifically mentioned the Industrial Acceleration Plan launched in 2014 and continued by the current ministry, which has created interesting prospects in several sectors, including 'automotive, aeronautics, electronics, and offshoring' that offer career advancement and specialization opportunities. He also underlined the role of government training initiatives through OFPPT (Office of Professional Training and Work Promotion), the Cités des Métiers et des Compétences (CMC), and ANAPEC employment contracts in structuring a skills pipeline aligned with industrial needs, which strengthens local employability. Jadri characterized the wage gap not as social dumping but as an acknowledged comparative advantage in Morocco's strategy. 'Morocco positions itself as an intermediate alternative between low-cost countries like Bangladesh or Ethiopia and European countries. For multinationals, it's an opportunity to optimize costs without compromising quality,' he stated. 'Morocco does not practice a race to the bottom,' Jadri insisted. 'The minimum wage (SMIG) is regularly revalued, collective agreements are developing in certain industrial zones, and mechanisms for social dialogue exist.' Looking forward, Jadri argued this cost differential is only sustainable if accompanied by structural transformation of Morocco's industrial fabric. 'The simple cost advantage will eventually erode with rising social and wage demands,' he went on to say. 'It is therefore necessary to invest in continuing education and technical and scientific fields, promote R&D partnerships between industrialists and Moroccan research centers, strengthen the ecosystem of industrial and deep tech startups, and integrate global value chains at a higher level,' he concluded. International integration will drive wage growth Offering a critical perspective, economist and researcher at Mohammed V University in Rabat, Zakaria Firano explained to MWN that Morocco's current level of human capital remains average by global standards, leaving substantial room for improvement. 'Morocco is situated in terms of human capital in the world average, according to the World Bank index, at a level of 0.5 to 0.55, which means that the qualification of Moroccan human capital remains average compared to different countries of the world,' Firano observed. This moderate productivity level partly explains the salary gap with European counterparts. Firano provided concrete examples to illustrate this point: 'We are in the industrial sector always at a level of contribution to added value to gross domestic products around 28% to 29%.' For him, 'this means that any improvement in human capital in the medium and long term will allow the industrial sector to reach the objective we want, which is to reach more than 40% of added value, not only in terms of quantity but also in terms of quality and also in terms of quality competitiveness internationally.' Firano linked the salary differential to productivity gaps, remarking that 'in European and developed countries, [highly qualified human capital] remains a bit more important than what we find here in Morocco.' To reduce this gap, he argued Morocco must raise both the level of human capital and its contribution to added value, especially in industrial and service sectors. Comparing minimum wages across countries, Firano stated: 'If we take a minimum wage, we will simply compare it with Spain, it's around 300 euros in Morocco compared to more than 1,084 in Spain,' adding that the minimum found in countries with relatively low minimum wages in Europe, 'like Croatia, Poland, etc., is double, triple what we find, triple the minimum wage in Morocco.' On the sustainability question, Firano gave a firm 'probably not' to whether the wage differential can persist long-term. 'We cannot have a certain sustainability through salary attractiveness if we are in an economy that is beginning to integrate internationally,' he stated. With Morocco's international integration level around 65% and continuing to open up, prices will increasingly align with international levels. 'The obligation to converge with new international professions in technology, robotics, and artificial intelligence will require increased qualification and human capital,' Firano added. This human capital improvement will generate higher added value and productivity, inevitably leading to higher wages. Young talents seek fulfillment beyond salary Weighing in on the debate, economist and academic Mohammed Chiguer shared with MWN that salary isn't the decisive factor behind brain drain decisions, and put it bluntly: 'Moroccans flee their country, but French people also flee their countries.' 'I believe that the minister's statement is simply to support the movement observed for some time, the return of Moroccan talents who even resided in France,' Chiguer said. He pointed to many Moroccan professionals born and educated in France who have chosen to settle in Morocco, with Casablanca serving as a vital platform for those wishing to work with Africa. Chiguer placed the situation in its international context, particularly considering Europe's employment challenges. 'France is experiencing problems in this area. In fact, the unemployment rate for graduates is beginning to worry them,' he asserted. According to Chiguer, young talents seek self-fulfillment through multiple channels. 'The main reason for brain drain or the return of brains is that young people seek to realize themselves not only through a more or less high salary but also through other conditions,' he clarified, referencing Morocco's efforts to establish itself as a true African hub. 'It's a question that really needs to be placed in its context and take into consideration the international situation, take into consideration the situation in Europe in particular and in France more particularly,' Chiguer concluded. Read also: Morocco's Auto Labor Cost: Just $106 Per Vehicle Tags: Moroccan EngineersRyad Mezzourwages
Morocco World
a day ago
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Italy-Algeria Summit: Abdelmadjid Tebboune Embarrasses Himself With Isolated Support for Polisario
Rabat – Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has once again put himself in an isolated position by expressing support for Polisario's separatism claims in Western Sahara. Following a meeting and discussions with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Tebboune claimed the European country 'shares' Algeria's perspective on the Western Sahara dispute, asserting 'a perfect convergence' of views between the two countries regarding Polisario's right to 'self-determination.' Yet a statement by the Italian government conveyed a different story, omitting any mention of the country's reported support for the Polisario's outdated self-determination cause. In the declaration it issued following the Italian-Algerian summit on July 23, the Italian government instead announced its commitment toward a balanced, mutually acceptable political solution in line with UN resolutions. 'On the issue of Western Sahara, both parties reiterated their support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to relaunch direct negotiations and achieve a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the relevant Security Council resolutions,' the statement said. The joint declaration reveals a clear divergence from Tebboune's claims, and the Italian response comes as no surprise. Tebboune's recent claims reflect a familiar approach deployed by the Algerian regime. In recent years, Algeria has repeatedly used international and regional forums to promote Polisario's separatist agenda in southern Morocco. Tebboune deployed the same approach in June with Rwanda, and he was caught red-handed disseminating false information regarding the country's position on Western Sahara. Following a meeting with Rwandan president Paul Kagame in June, Tebboune and Algerian mouthpiece media claimed that Kagame had joined his Algerian counterpart in stressing their alleged support for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination. Yet, Kagame's official website published a communique detailing his remarks with no explicit or implicit mention of Rwanda's support for Polisario's self-determination and referendum aspirations. Such distortion attempts by Algeria show the Algerian regime's desperation to undermine Morocco's growing momentum in the Sahara dossier. Algeria's desperation comes as more countries now embrace the Moroccan Autonomy plan as the most serious and credible path to a lasting political solution to the Western Sahara dispute. Even in Italy, many MPs are viewing the autonomy initiative as a viable political solution to end the long-standing dispute. In 2020, several Italian political parties formed a parliamentary group to voice their support for the initiative. 'Our objective is to reinforce the United Nations' efforts to reach a pragmatic, political, and realistic solution based on compromise,' they said. 'Numerous European states consider the autonomy plan as the most serious and credible solution to put an end to this dispute.' Morocco believes it is only a matter of time before more countries from the EU and beyond join the growing chorus in support of diplomatic pragmatism and political compromise as the only horizon for peace, security, and prosperity in the Sahara. Currently, as many as 114 countries support the Moroccan Autonomy Plan, viewing it as the most viable route to a genuine and sustainable end to the Sahara dispute. Tags: Algeria and polisarioAlgeria and the Western Sahara
