Exploring the Implementation of the AfCFTA in Morocco: Challenges, Lessons, and Way Forward

This chapter examines the opportunities, constraints, and strategic orientations associated with the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Morocco. It highlights Morocco’s positioning within the dynamics of African integration, assessing both the country’s strengths and the challenges it faces in contributing to the objectives of Agenda 2063 and in successfully incorporating AfCFTA provisions into its trade policy. The analysis emphasises Morocco’s key assets—such as its geostrategic location, investment capacity, renewable energy potential, and proactive South–South cooperation—while also underscoring structural constraints, including insufficient integration into African regional value chains, limited productive capacities, regulatory fragmentation, and regional security risks. Drawing on flagship initiatives such as the Atlantic Initiative, the Morocco–Nigeria Gas Pipeline, and OCP’s agricultural partnerships, the chapter explores how Morocco can serve as a catalyst for the development of continental value chains in critical sectors, including food security, energy transition, digitalization, and industrial value chain integration. It further identifies the institutional and legal prerequisites for effective implementation, with particular emphasis on governance, private sector involvement, and harmonisation with AfCFTA protocols. Ultimately, this chapter argues that Morocco’s active engagement in the AfCFTA is essential for deepening regional integration, fostering inclusive growth, and redefining Africa’s partnerships in line with sustainable development priorities.