MAGHREBIAN PROSPECTS IN
AFRICA:
MOROCCO
By Petra Patty
Outline
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Introduction
Politics:
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Foreign policy of Morocco towards Sub-saharan Africa
Economics:
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Agreements regulating relations
Figures of trade
Investments:
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Banking
Infrastructure
Conclusions
Foreign policy of Morocco towards
Sub-saharan Africa
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Two types of relations:
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1. Traditionally friendly: Senegal, Gabon, DR Congo, Guinee
Equatorial, Mauritania, Ivory Coast
2. Ones made tense, mainly for political reasons to do with
the Western Saharan conflict: Nigeria, South Africa, etc.
1980’s:
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1984, Morocco leaves the Organization of African Unity
Developing relations with Angola (1985), Cape Verde
(1987)
1986: Creation of Agence Marocaine de Coopération
Internationale - AMCI
Foreign policy of Morocco towards
Sub-saharan Africa
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1990’s:
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150 different agreements by the middle of the decade
Other efforts: Somalia 1992-93, visits: 1996, etc
From 1999, King Mohammed VI.
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Repeated annual visits from 2001, including Gabon,
Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo,
Gambia
25 embassies in Africa, 6 new representations by the
end of 2010
Foreign policy of Morocco towards
Sub-saharan Africa
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New direction of social cooperation:
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2006: Niger food crisis
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2004, visits to Bénin, Cameroon, Gabon, Niger and Senegal signing conventions
180-268 millions Euros of support to West-African and Central African countries
Three sided cooperations – NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Dvelopment)
Strategy toward least developing countries:
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Hospitalization, stock of drugs, pesticides, etc.
2000, European African Summit, Cairo
2003, Extraordinary Ministerial Conference for Least Developed Countries in
Rabat
Intensions of working together with organizations:
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2000, UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union)
2001, joining COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa)
2002, Mano River Union Meeting in Rabat
Agreements regulating relations
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2002, UEMOA (West African Economic and
Monetary Union):
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Trade and investment on industrial and agricultural
products
Not taken affect yet
2004, visits to Bénin, Cameroon, Gabon, Niger and
Senegal:
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Conventions on non-double taxation, encouragement of
investment, projects: expertise and funds
Sea trade, mining, civil engineering, housing, water and
education
Agreements regulating relations
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Strengthening relations, diversifying markets:
bilateral economic and trade cooperations, classic
or preferential, 17 countries
Mixed inter-state commissions
Private sector:
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Official support
International forums
Studies on trade prospects
Organization for the support of export
Current figures of trade
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Global sum of trade:
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1990-1998: 300,6 million dollars on average per year
1998-2008: 529 million dollars
Commercial trade:
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101 million dollars deficit on average per year for the period of 1990-98
2008: 282,8 million dollar excess
Current figures of trade
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2008, Moroccan export:
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Export by zones:
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4,46% to Africa (Main markets: Senegal, Equatorial Guinea and Ivory
Coast, Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola)
75,23% to EU
6,9% to Asia
2,72% to USA
27,2% to UEMOA
19,31% to CEMAC – Economic and Monetary Union of Central Africa
2% to SACU – Southern African Customs Union,
170% increase of trade between Morocco and Sub-saharan Africa:
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1998: 52,6 million dollars
2008: 1,4 billion dollars
Versus Tunisia: 107 million dollars and Egypt: 320 million dollars
Current figures of trade
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Main Sub-saharian suppliers of Morocco: Gabon,
Congo, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast,
Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Sénégal, South Africa
Import by zones:
 59,82%
from SACU
 17,5% from CEMAC
 11,63% from UEMOA
Composition of export, 1998-2008:
Food products 45%
Energy 3%
Chemicals 12%
Wood/Paper 5%
Steel/Metals 3%
Agriculture 1%
Ores 2%
Mechanic/electrical products 19%
Textile/leather 9%
Construction materials 1%
3% 1%
5%
9%
45%
19%
12%
2% 3%
Source : Chelem, calcul DEPF
1%
Composition of import, 1998-2008
Energy 49%
Chemicals 1%
Wood/paper 3%
Food products 5%
Ores 1%
Mechanical/Electrical products 4%
Steel/Metals 2%
Agricultural products 35%
35%
49%
5%
2%
Source : Chelem, calcul DEPF
4%
3%
1%
1%
Current figures of trade
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Relations with countries who recognize the RASD
(Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic – or Western
Sahara):
 Rebuilding
relations for the past 10 years
 Moroccan economy more international
 Retreat of recognition
 South Africa: 210 million Euros in 2008
 Nigeria: 60 million Euros in 2008
 (720 million with Algeria)
Investments
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2008: amongst the top 20 investors in Africa
Private sector:
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Taking expertise and know-how to the continent
Strategic sectors:
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Banking
Engineering
Telecommunication
Infrastructure (Royal Air Maroc)
Banking: Attijariwafa Bank and BMCE
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First two moroccan groups on international markets.
Attijariwafa Bank:
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Present in Tunisia, Senegal (66,67% of Senegalo-tunisian Bank), Mali (51% of
International Bank of Mali – 60 million Euros)
GNP of the bank’s subsidiaries in Western Africa: 1,47 billion DH, Central Africa:
539 million DH
2009: took over 5 subsidiaries of Credit agricole: Congo, Ivory Coast,
Cameroon, Gabon, Senegal, others in plan: Burkina, Togo, Niger, Equatorial
Guinea
2010 April 29-30th, Casablanca
BMCE – Banque Marocaine du Commerce Exterieur:
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Present in about 12 African countries
Subsidiary in Senegal (BMCE Capital Dakar) loans 50 million Euros to the port of
Dakar.
2007: acquisition of upto 35% of capital of the Bank of Africa (BOA)
2008: received 70 million euro support from the IFC (International Finance
Cooperation)
International subsidiaries: 8,5% of net turnover in 2008 – 74 million euros
Outside BOA, operates in Congo-Brazzaville, Cameroon, Senegal and Tunisia
Infrastructure: SOMAGEC, Groupe CCGT
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SOMAGEC (Société Maghrébine de Génie Civil ):
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Leading builder of harbour and maritime infrastructure in Morocco,
making a turnover of about 138 million Euros in 2008.
Equatorial Guinea:
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Subsidiary SOMAGEC GE
2 500 employees
Built ports in Malabo, Kogo and Annobón
Drinking water network in Bata
In three years: 1,3 billion Euros
2006: invitation to apply for building the port of Dakar in Senegal
Groupe CCGT (Consortium des Canalisation des Granulats et des
Travaux):
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Present in Guinea for 12 years, Sierra-Leone as well as Guinea-Bissau
Guinea: 70 million DH, agricultural area of 724 ha
Senegal: construction of a 230 km road
Conclusion
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Africa: alternative market to the european
Despite marked improvements in the past decade,
only 5% of Morocco’s export goes to Africa
Still alot of potential:
 Improved
political stability
 Economic transparency
 Rise of purchasing power
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Exemplary behaviour