The UK has announced that its agri-food imports from Morocco witnessed a 40% increase since January 2021. “Moroccan foods are increasingly present on British plates,” the UK embassy in Rabat tweeted, noting that 60% of canned sardines eaten in the UK comes from Morocco. About 25% of tomatoes come from Morocco. Meanwhile, the UK imports around 20% of soft fruits from the North African country. “In 2020, 32.8% of all UK imports from Morocco were fruits and vegetables,” the UK embassy said. It added that Wales contributed to the “highest amount of goods exports to Morocco for a total of £83 million or 19.1%.” The embassy continued to add that the West Midlands imported the highest amount of goods from Morocco for a total £130 million (22.6%). Morocco and the UK share strong diplomatic relations marked by cooperation in different fields, including trade. In 2019, Morocco and the UK signed the Association Agreement in London, aiming to preserve bilateral ties between the two countries post-Brexit. Since Brexit, business and trade cooperation have been flourishing between the two countries. Morocco’s exports to the UK amounted to $568.77 million in 2020, while UK’s exports to Morocco were estimated at $782.03 during 2021, according to the website Trading Economics.
The two countries constantly express determination to continue working together to strengthen relations in all fields. Andrew Murrison, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Morocco and Tunisia, visited Rabat in February to emphasize his country’s determination to boost bilateral ties with Morocco. During his visit, Murrison expressed satisfaction with Morocco’s approaches, seeking to boost renewable energy. He emphasized the importance of Morocco’s New Development Model to achieve a green economy. Murrison also spoke of the promising prospects of strong cooperation between the UK and Morocco, stressing that “this is a great time to lead this work and I'm really excited about what the future holds.”