Morocco is reportedly preparing to renegotiate its free trade agreement with Turkey as the North African nation looks to attract greater Turkish investments to offset a widening trade imbalance. This move comes amid concerns over the impact of Turkish textile imports on Morocco’s domestic manufacturing sector.
According to Omar Hjira, Minister Delegate in charge of Foreign Trade, the trade deficit with Turkey has ballooned to $3 billion—making it the third-largest after those with the United States and China, both of which are major investors in Morocco. The surge has been largely attributed to fabric imports flooding Morocco’s textile market.
In response, Reuters has reported that Hjira is planning an official visit to Turkey to address the deficit directly with Turkish authorities and push for increased Turkish investments in Morocco’s industrial sectors.
This is not the first time the two countries have revisited their trade ties. In 2020, both sides agreed to amend the terms of their free trade agreement by introducing a 90% tariff on Turkish textiles in a bid to shield Moroccan manufacturers from unfair competition.
The upcoming negotiations signal Morocco’s broader strategy of rebalancing trade relationships while reinforcing domestic industry and attracting foreign capital in key sectors. For a fuller picture of how this trade tension is affecting Morocco’s EU-bound textile exports, see Kohan Textile Journal’s coverage of Morocco’s textile export performance amid EU-Turkey trade tensions.
For more on Morocco’s trade agreements, Turkiye relations and market access, see Kohan Textile Journal’s Morocco Textile Trade Hub.
