Beziehungen zwischen Marokko, China und der EU bei Mineralien für den grünen Übergang (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI)

This research paper examines Morocco's strategic position as a supplier of green transition minerals (GTMs) and its bilateral relationships with China and the European Union. The authors argue that while Morocco benefits from the distinct strengths of both partners—China's industrial scale and speed versus the EU's regulatory standards and capacity building—its current engagement is fragmented. To overcome this, the paper proposes a five-step trilateral framework designed to transform geopolitical competition into pragmatic cooperation, aiming to establish Morocco as a regional hub for green value chains and industrial processing.

• Morocco possesses significant reserves of green transition minerals (GTMs), including approximately 72% of global phosphate, as well as manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, and potential deposits of lithium and graphite. These minerals are essential for clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels. GTMs currently account for about 10% of Morocco's GDP and approximately 25% of its mining export revenues, employing over 49,000 people.
• The European Union's engagement with Morocco is characterized by a focus on high standards, regulatory compliance, and long-term development. This is exemplified by the 2022 Green Partnership and substantial financial commitments, including €624 million in cooperation programmes launched in 2023. Private sector projects include TotalEnergies' 100GW renewable energy project and Engie's €17 billion commitment to renewable energy and desalination infrastructure.
• China's relationship with Morocco, strengthened through a strategic partnership and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), prioritizes efficiency, rapid project delivery, and industrial scale. Chinese investment is heavily focused on the battery materials supply chain, including a $6.4 billion EV battery gigafactory near Rabat and joint ventures like CNGR Advanced Material's project in Jorf Lasfar and BTR New Material Group's plant in Tangier Tech.
• Morocco's national industrial strategy aims to transition from being a raw material exporter to a processor and manufacturer. The National Mining Strategy 2021-2030 specifically targets doubling the sector's contribution to GDP by 2030. The country is also pursuing a 'Morocco Offer' to develop one million hectares of land for green hydrogen production.
• The authors propose a five-step trilateral framework to coordinate EU and Chinese engagement in Morocco. This roadmap includes: (1) establishing a Morocco-EU-China GTM task force; (2) creating GTM industrial zones for joint investment; (3) developing a GTM sustainability charter to harmonise ESG standards; (4) launching a North-West African GTM corridor under the AfCFTA to link with countries like Guinea and the DRC; and (5) enacting a GTM local empowerment act and establishing a 'green skills' institute.
• The analysis concludes that Morocco's current bilateral engagements are fragmented, which limits the potential for value addition in the GTM sector. A coordinated trilateral approach is recommended to reconcile the competing interests of the EU and China, leveraging China's midstream refining and manufacturing expertise alongside the EU's sustainable processing and regulatory frameworks.

APA

Agyeman, S. D., & Abudu, H. (2025). Beziehungen zwischen Marokko, China und der EU bei Mineralien für den grünen Übergang (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI). Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/de/marokko-china-eu-mineralien-gruener-uebergaenge-en

Chicago

Agyeman, Stephen Duah, and Hermas Abudu. Beziehungen zwischen Marokko, China und der EU bei Mineralien für den grünen Übergang (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI). Africa Policy Research Institute, 2025. https://afripoli.org/de/marokko-china-eu-mineralien-gruener-uebergaenge-en.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Agyeman |first1=Stephen Duah |last2=Abudu |first2=Hermas |title=Beziehungen zwischen Marokko, China und der EU bei Mineralien für den grünen Übergang (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=8 July 2025 |url=https://afripoli.org/de/marokko-china-eu-mineralien-gruener-uebergaenge-en |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{agyeman2025beziehungen, author = {Agyeman, Stephen Duah and Abudu, Hermas}, title = {{Beziehungen zwischen Marokko, China und der EU bei Mineralien für den grünen Übergang (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI)}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://afripoli.org/de/marokko-china-eu-mineralien-gruener-uebergaenge-en}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }