Saudi Arabia launches export drive in Morocco

• Seeking to boost non-oil shipments
• Crude still dominates trade
• Logistics drag on sales

Saudi Arabia has launched a trade mission to Morocco involving more than 70 Saudi companies as the kingdom steps up efforts to expand non-oil exports and deepen commercial ties with North Africa.

The Saudi Export Development Authority organised the virtual meetings, with a focus on construction companies, packaging and food products, the state-backed Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The drive is part of the authority’s efforts to enable exporters to access regional and other international markets and enhance the competitiveness of Saudi products and services, thereby supporting growth in non-oil exports and increasing their contribution to GDP in line with the objectives of Vision 2030, the report added.

Saudi Arabia, the largest Arab economy, is already one of Morocco’s top trading partners, with two-way exchanges worth about $2.9 billion in 2024, according to the Saudi-Moroccan Business Council.

The balance was largely in favour of Saudi Arabia with exports of about $2.7 billion, nearly 93 percent of bilateral trade.

In July 2025, Moroccan officials said businesspeople from Riyadh and Rabat were involved in discussions for the creation of a fund to invest in joint projects.

“The discussions with the Saudi delegation focused on a proposal to set up a joint investment fund… further talks are planned to ensure this proposal comes to fruition,” Chakib Alj, president of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, said at the time.

Heavy investments, coupled with promotional campaigns, have boosted Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports although they remain dwarfed by oil revenue.

In 2025, total exports stood at around $293 billion, including nearly $200 billion of oil sales, according to Riyadh-based Jadwa Investments, which cited official Saudi figures.

• Saudi Arabia bucks slowdown while war weighs on Gulf PMI
• Saudi Arabia and Morocco discuss joint investment fund
• Saudi non-oil exports jump as re-export value grows 20%

“Saudi Arabia has made remarkable progress in non-oil exports in the past 10 years due to large investments and government support for local companies,” said Jamal Banoun, manager of the Riyadh-based SMS economic consultancy.

“Further progress requires penetrating more markets,” Banoun added.

S&P Global’s latest monthly purchasing managers’ index showed that Saudi Arabia bucked the regional trend and reported a rise in non-oil business activity in June. But as new orders remained strong, exports faced challenges.

“Survey respondents cited ongoing regional logistics challenges and intensified foreign competition as primary constraints on international sales,” Riyad Bank said in its monthly Saudi PMI this week.