Morocco–Philippines: Half a century of cooperation

Fifty years after Morocco and the Philippines established diplomatic relations, ties between the two countries continue to strengthen. In an interview with MAP, Philippine Ambassador to Morocco Leslie Baja highlighted the steady growth in bilateral exchanges, noting that trade between the two nations has increased by around 50% in recent years.

The ambassador stressed, however, that current trade levels remain below the full potential of the partnership. He pointed to the complementarities between Morocco, a gateway to Africa and Europe, and the Philippines, a key member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

According to Baja, several sectors offer strong opportunities for cooperation, including agribusiness, aerospace, electronics and textiles. He also noted that the Philippines is among the importers of Moroccan phosphate.

The diplomat further welcomed the sectoral partnership agreement signed between Morocco and ASEAN in 2023, saying it has opened new avenues for cooperation at both the bilateral and regional levels.

On the Sahara issue, Leslie Baja reiterated that Manila views Morocco’s autonomy initiative as a «good basis» for resolving the regional dispute, a position previously expressed during the visit of the Philippine foreign minister to Morocco in 2022.