Beyond Borders: A Green Pivot for EU-Morocco Relations

Morocco currently supplies 19% of the European Union’s fertilizer imports, leveraging its control over roughly 68% of the world’s phosphate reserves. This dependency, however, is fraught with complications, ranging from the legal status of Western Sahara to Morocco’s own reliance on ammonia imports from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. By utilizing its vast solar and wind resources to produce green hydrogen, Rabat could transition to green ammonia, effectively decoupling its fertilizer industry from volatile global energy markets.

Integrating this shift into the Global Gateway initiative offers a pragmatic path forward. Transporting hydrogen remains prohibitively expensive, whereas converting it into ammonia for agricultural use provides immediate value. This approach would strengthen European food security and energy resilience while fostering Morocco’s industrial decarbonization. Success, however, demands navigating significant hurdles: extreme water scarcity in Morocco, environmental concerns surrounding OCP Group operations, and the European Court of Justice’s strict requirements regarding the legal status of Western Sahara.

As the EU negotiates the €200 billion Global Europe Instrument for 2028-2034, it should prioritize these long-term industrial synergies over reactive, short-term migration management. A partnership anchored in mutual economic gain offers a more stable foundation than the current status quo, transforming a relationship often defined by friction into one of strategic interdependence.