Manchester: Morocco Attracts UK Investors
Greater Manchester, a significant economic hub in the United Kingdom, hosted a high-level meeting on Friday focused on presenting investment opportunities offered by Morocco to the British business community.
A Strategic Partnership in Action
Speaking to economic operators from various sectors, Morocco’s ambassador to the UK, Hakim Hajoui, positioned this initiative within the framework of the strategic partnership between Morocco and Great Britain.
The two countries share a historical diplomatic relationship that dates back over 800 years, recently strengthened by a new cooperation framework.
A New Economic Cooperation Framework
Following the Strategic Dialogue held on June 1, 2025, in Rabat, bilateral relations have been upgraded to a Strengthened Strategic Partnership.
This new framework opens up significant prospects in several sectors:
- energy
- industry
- infrastructure
- technology and innovation
- tourism
- agriculture
Morocco: A Regional Investment Platform
The ambassador highlighted Morocco’s economic performance under the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, particularly in the fields of infrastructure, industry, and renewable energy.
Morocco is portrayed as a gateway to Africa, a continent regarded as a future zone of global growth.
Diverse Economic Opportunities
The discussions between both parties focused on several high-value-added sectors:
- financial services
- high-tech industries
- green hydrogen and clean energy
- agriculture
- digitization
- healthcare
Opportunities related to the 2030 World Cup, co-hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, were also mentioned.
Manchester: A Key Player in the Partnership
The Greater Manchester region possesses significant assets to integrate into this economic dynamic.
It enjoys direct flight connections with Casablanca and holds a strategic position in the British economy.
A Long-standing Historical and Economic Relationship
The ties between Manchester and Morocco date back to the 19th century, rooted in historical trade relations.
Today, the city stands as a major economic hub in Northern England, at the heart of the British economic rebalancing strategy.
Growing Interest from British Companies
British economic representatives expressed strong interest in the opportunities that Morocco offers.
They called for enhanced exchanges and the development of concrete projects in the areas of technology, green energy, infrastructure, and healthcare.
A Favorable Environment for Trade Exchanges
The Association Agreement signed in 2021 between Morocco and the UK provides a structured framework, offering preferential conditions for trade and investment exchanges.
Towards Enhanced Integration of Manchester in the Morocco-UK Dynamic
Local authorities in Greater Manchester have also expressed their intent to strengthen economic cooperation with Morocco.
The aim is to develop concrete and swift partnerships between the two economic ecosystems.
