Hauptinhalt
Morocco
Last updated in February 2012
Political relations
Germany has maintained diplomatic relations with Morocco since it regained its independence in 1956. Political relations between the two countries are good and amicable. Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle visited Morocco in November 2010 and May 2011. Federal Chancellor Merkel met with King Mohammed VI in New York in September 2010.
There are more than 130,000 people of Moroccan descent living in Germany, many with both German and Moroccan citizenship. 22,000 children take part in the native language programme in Germany.
Economic relations and development cooperation
Morocco ranks 58th among Germany’s international trading partners in terms of exports and 69th in terms of imports. Germany ranks 6th among Morocco’s trading partners, after France, Spain, Italy, the People’s Republic of China and the USA.
Germany’s principal exports to Morocco are motor vehicles and vehicle parts, machinery and electrical and electronic goods, chemical products and garments and textiles. Morocco’s main exports to Germany are textiles and garments, food, chemicals and chemical products and raw materials.
German products enjoy an excellent reputation in Morocco.
The Casablanca-based German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Morocco estimates that there are more than 100 German companies with their own offices in the Casablanca metropolitan area, most of them sales facilities.
Development cooperation is an important pillar of Germany’s political relations with Morocco. As a partner country, Morocco is the second largest recipient of German funding in the MENA region (the Middle East and North Africa), after Egypt. Germany is one of Morocco’s biggest bilateral donors. Focussing on water management, the environment/climate change including renewable energy and sustainable economic development, German development cooperation with Morocco specifically targets the core areas of economic and social development. German is held in high regard as a pioneer in these areas.
Cultural relations
In addition to the programme work, the main focus of German cultural activities in Morocco is on promoting the German language as well as scientific and academic cooperation. The Goethe Institute has branch offices in Casablanca and Rabat and a dialogue point for German in Tangiers. The Goethe Institute also looks after a number of PASCH schools.
There are German-Moroccan intercultural associations in Tangiers and Safi.
There are various cooperation arrangements with universities in five Moroccan cities as well as partnerships between the German Research Foundation and the National Scientific Research Centre (CNRS) and between the German Archaeological Institute and the National Archaeological Research Centre (INSAP). Two academic teachers seconded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) teach in Morocco. There are German Studies departments at the Universities of Fez, Rabat and Casablanca.
The Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Hanns Seidel Foundation have offices in the Moroccan capital Rabat.