Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev said on Friday that trade between Morocco and Russia rose by nearly 30 percent during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, stressing that Morocco remains one of Russia’s most important partners on the African continent.
According to Russian media, Patrushev made the remarks during the eighth session of the Russia–Morocco Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, held in Moscow with the participation of Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita. Several agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral partnership were signed during the meeting.
Patrushev emphasized that Morocco continues to play a pivotal role for Russia in Africa and that bilateral relations are developing steadily despite the current global geopolitical situation, noting that both countries are working to implement the 2016 Declaration on the Deepened Strategic Partnership.
The Russian official underlined the growing momentum of economic relations between the two countries and the strong potential for further cooperation in industry, agriculture, energy, transport, and natural resource development, confirming Moscow’s desire to broaden trade and investment exchanges with Rabat.
The two sides also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the energy sector, including infrastructure development and the use of renewable energy sources, as well as new projects in transport, logistics, and several other key sectors.
Patrushev pointed out that education represents one of the most successful areas of cooperation between Moscow and Rabat, highlighting that more than 4,000 Moroccan students are currently enrolled in Russian universities for the 2024–2025 academic year — a figure that reflects the strength of cultural and educational ties between the two nations.
He added that Russia is ready to expand cooperation with Morocco in the fields of general education, vocational training, and technical education, contributing to the exchange of expertise and the development of human capacities. Patrushev expressed optimism that the results of this meeting would give a new impetus to joint projects and open new horizons for trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Morocco.
At the end of the meeting, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister and the Moroccan Foreign Minister signed the final protocol of the eighth session of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission, which includes a series of projects and agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in various economic and scientific fields.
The Russia–Morocco Joint Intergovernmental Commission, established in 2003 as a permanent mechanism for dialogue and coordination between the two countries, last met in Rabat in October 2018. Patrushev led the Russian side, while Bourita headed the Moroccan delegation at this year’s session in Moscow.
According to Morocco’s official news agency, MAP, the meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress of bilateral cooperation and identify the most effective means to further enhance it.
In this context, the Commission, according to the same source, resulted in the signing of three legal instruments: an agreement on cooperation in fisheries, a protocol on the exchange of documents and data concerning the customs value of goods traded between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Morocco, and another protocol on cooperation, information exchange, and mutual assistance within the framework of the unified tariff preferences system of the Eurasian Economic Union.
The eighth session also served as an opportunity for both parties to reaffirm their shared desire to elevate Morocco–Russia relations to a more ambitious level through diversified economic and trade exchanges, increased mutual investments, and the development of new forms of sectoral cooperation.
