More than 400 billion dirhams in public contracts in Morocco: London seeks to open the door to its companies
The United Kingdom is preparing an agreement designed to facilitate its companies’ access to Moroccan public contracts, estimated at more than 400 billion dirhams over three years. The future arrangement would be the first British commitment of this kind with an African country.
The British government opened an official call for contributions on a future agreement with Morocco on 24 August. Companies and other interested parties can respond until 11 September.
London is considering adding a chapter devoted to public procurement to the association agreement that already links the two countries. This is still only an exploratory phase: negotiations have not officially begun and no agreement has been signed.
The financial stakes are considerable. The British government estimates public contracts expected in Morocco over three years at around £33 billion, or more than 400 billion dirhams. This amount represents all the opportunities identified, not a sum already allocated or reserved for British companies.
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The questionnaire sent to British companies reveals the objectives being pursued. London is asking them whether they have already tried to bid for tenders in Morocco, what difficulties they encountered and which barriers should be removed. Their responses will help determine the priorities of any potential negotiation.
A first British agreement with an African country
If it is concluded, this chapter would constitute the United Kingdom’s first legally binding commitment on public procurement with an African country. It would extend the cooperation memorandum signed with Morocco in June 2025.
Morocco is not a member of the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Government Procurement. London therefore currently has no specific international trade commitment guaranteeing it regulated access to Moroccan tenders.
The future arrangement should establish rules on transparency, openness and non-discrimination. The goods, services and suppliers of both countries should receive fair treatment. But the administrations concerned, the categories of contracts, the minimum amounts and any exceptions remain to be negotiated.
British ambitions extend beyond the construction projects for the 2030 World Cup. London had already identified the future terminal at Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca, healthcare equipment, and infrastructure related to water and ports among the opportunities being sought. In Morocco, the modernization of airports is expected to mobilize nearly 38 billion dirhams by 2030, while the Kingdom is also multiplying desalination projects intended to secure its drinking water supply.
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At this stage, no British company therefore benefits from preferential access to Moroccan public contracts. But the opening of this consultation confirms the direction chosen by London: transforming closer trade relations with Rabat into legal guarantees enabling its groups to position themselves more effectively for the Kingdom’s major public contracts.