Bilateral relations between Morocco and South Africa
I - Historical overview
- Morocco and South Africa have a common past made of solidarity and genuine mutual understanding.
- Indeed Morocco supported South Africa since the very first years of its struggle against Apartheid regime:
- Nelson Mandela stayed, between 1960 and 1962, in Morocco, mainly in Oujda,where he received pioneer, political and financial support and military training. In his inauguration speech of the first democratic government in 1994, Mandela praised the late King Hassan II for his financial and military support to the ANC fighters. However, Morocco was the first foreign supporter to hand over arms to Mandela's organization.
- After his release in 1990, Nelson Mandela paid several official visits tothe Kingdom of Morocco:
- In January 1992, Mandela visited Morocco and paid tribute to Morocco and thanked the Kingdom for its “unfailing solidarity with the South African people”. He was received by His Majesty the King Hassan II who decorated him with the highest Wissam Alaouite;
- In June 1993, returning from the OAU Summit in Cairo, he met with His Majesty King Hassan II. Their discussions focused on the creation of a tripartite committee (Morocco-Ivory Coast-ANC) to help resolve the Angolan crisis;
- In November 1994, he made his first official visit to Morocco as President of the Republic of South Africa;
- In November 1994, he paid a three-day private visit to Morocco, during which he met with His Majesty King Hassan II, the Portuguese President, MrSoares, and the Secretary General of the United Nations, MrBotros Ghali, who was in Morocco;
- In November 1997, he went to Morocco on a working visit during which he was received by His Majesty King Hassan II;
- In May 1998, he paid a private visit with his wife Graça Machel.He was received by His Majesty King Hassan II;
- In July 1999, to present his condolences, following the disappearance of His Majesty King Hassan II.
- Diplomatic relations between South Africa and the Kingdom of Morocco were formally established in 1991 when a South African Interest Office opened in Rabat on 2 September 1991. A Moroccan Interest Office was opened on 1 April 1992 in Pretoria and both offices were subsequently upgraded to full Embassies.
- In 2004 Moroccorecalled his Ambassador for consultations
- 15 years later, following the historic bilateral meeting between King Mohammed VI and former President Jacob Zuma, on the sidelines of the 5th joint AU-EU summit in Abidjan, South Africa and Morocco agreed to come out stalemate and work together for a promising future, especially since the two countries are important poles of political stability and economic development, respectively in the extreme north and the extreme south of the continent.
- As of this very moment, Morocco and South Africa committed themselves to maintain direct contacts and to launch a fruitful economic and political partnership in order to build strong, lasting and stable relations.
- On August 20, 2018, His Majesty King Mohammed VI appointed Mr.Youssef AMRANI former deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and adviser in the Royal Cabinet, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pretoria
II - Political Dialogue :
- The Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, M Nasser Bourita received, on January 09, 2018, Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, former South African Minister for International Relations. The latter emphasized that Morocco and South Africa should continue to engage in constructive discussions to turn challenges into opportunities, building on their experiences in managing the migration problem and engaging in the sustainable development of the Continent.
- In October 2018, the speaker of South Africa parliament Baleka Mbete travelled to Rabat and met with her Moroccan counterparts.
III - Economic relations
- The trade statistics already show significant increase of economic convergences. Those economic links create important opportunities for both parties, especially since Morocco and South Africa are the largest African investors in Africa. South African export to morocco in 2017 totaled R1,1 Billion. Imports were R745,5 million.
- South Africa is morocco’s first economical partner in Southern Africa.
- Huge investment opportunities exist between the two countries. In 2018 South Africa’s largest insurer, Sanlam, concluded its acquisition of Morocco’s insurance provider Saham Finances in a deal worth$ 1.74 Billion. This big investment, which increase SANLAM’s footprint to 33 African countries, could potentially encourage other South African companies to consider Morocco as an investment opportunity
Apart from this huge investment, the following South African companies have also ventured into the Moroccan market:
- Mara Holding (formally Delta Property Holdin) bought the Anfa shopping center in Casablanca in 2015 (deal about $ 100 million)
- EOH
- Tana
- A Joint Commission of Cooperation is established by the agreement signed in February 1996: the first session of the Joint Commission was held in Cape Town 12 May 1998.
Legal framework:
- Signed agreements:
- Bilateral Air Transport Agreement signed on 18 February 1994 in Rabat and entered into force on 31 July 1996.
- Memorandum of Understanding on Air Transport Cooperation, signed on 20 July 1994 in Cape Town.
- Agreement on Agricultural Research between INRA and the South African Agricultural Research Council, signed in Pretoria on 30 August 1994.
- Agreement establishing the Mixed Commission for Cooperation, signed on February 8, 1996, in Rabat.
- Cooperation agreement between CGEM and South African employers "SACOB", signed in Johannesburg on 1 September 1995.
- Cooperation agreement between the Casablanca Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, signed in Casablanca on September 24, 1995.
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, signed in Cape Town on May 12, 1998.
- Cooperation agreement on the production of electrical energy, signed in May 2002 between ONE and ESKOM.
- Cooperation and partnership agreement signed, on April 11, 2016 in Rabat, between the Kingdom of Morocco Academy and the Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MIND).
- Initialed agreements:
- Draft Agreement in the field of Merchant Shipping and Maritime Affairs.
- Draft Trade Agreement.
- Draft Convention for the avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion with respect to income tax.
- Draft Memorandum of Understanding on Industrial and Technological Cooperation.
- Draft memorandum of understanding on phytosanitary issues.
- Draft scientific and technological cooperation agreement.
- Draft agreements that are under negotiation:
- Draft Agreement in the field of Arts and Culture.
- Draft agreement in the field of Tourism.
- Draft agreement on the promotion and protection of investments.
- Draft Cooperation Agreement in the field of Energy and Mines;
- Draft Cooperation Agreement between MAP and SAPA;
- Draft Memorandum of Understanding between the National Center for Energy, Nuclear Science and Technology and the Atomic Energy Cooperation of SA LTD.