Maghreb Edition

Moroccan King’s feelings hurt by the toppling of his Gabonese friend ($)

Posted On 6 September 2023

Number of times this article was read : 2731

Morocco has hailed its relationship with Gabon as “solid,” and so any political disruption could have adverse consequences on the conduct of business. In the Moroccan media, there have efforts to characterize trade between the two as “strong.” But data suggests a rather anemic activity linking the two countries. Economically, the two nations are linked by agreements signed during King Mohammed VI’s visits to Gabon in March 2014 and in June 2015. Four years later, trade between the two remained subdued.In 2019, Moroccan exports to Gabon amounted to around $77 million, while Moroccan imports from Gabon stood at less than $9 million.  But the ties between Morocco and Gabon run high on the political front, driven by the personal feelings of brotherhood between their two leaders. Gabon has been a staunch supporter of Morocco’s claim over the disputed Western Sahara with King Mohammed consistently lobbying Ali Bongo on the issue… [continue here] or [subscribe]

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