Spanish First Vice-President and Minister of Economy, Trade and Enterprise Carlos Cuerpo underlined Morocco’s substantial economic importance to Spain, citing export figures that place the North African kingdom nearly on a par with the United States as a market, while calling for “extreme prudence” before accusing Morocco of orchestrating Ceuta crossing.
Speaking in an interview on RTVE’s Los Desayunos and with the EFE news agency, Cuerpo noted that Spanish exports to Morocco exceed 12 billion euros, compared with around 16 billion euros destined for the United States.
Shipments to a country of approximately 38 million people have reached levels relatively close to those serving the world’s largest economy.
Spain exported goods worth some 6.42 billion euros to Morocco (up 3.5 percent year-on-year) in the first half this year, and imported nearly 5.8 billion euros (up 4.1 percent), maintaining a bilateral trade surplus in Spain’s favour.
Morocco now absorbs nearly half of all Spanish exports to the African continent and ranks among Spain’s leading non-EU markets.
Trade has evolved beyond simple exchanges into deeply integrated production chains spanning automobiles, electrical equipment, textiles, industrial machinery and energy.
More than 350 Spanish companies operate in Morocco, which remains the top destination for Spanish investment in Africa, with a stock approaching two billion euros.
Geographic proximity has fostered industrial complementarity, with components and goods crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in both directions.
Cuerpo’s remarks came as the far left and far right indulge in addressing accusations to Morocco regarding the Ceuta crossing without offering whatsoever evidence.
The minister reiterated the government’s position that there is no “irrefutable proof” or “fehacientes” evidence linking the Moroccan government to the mass entries of 30 July.
“We must exercise extreme prudence before drawing any conclusions,” he insisted.
His comments align with the stance of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s executive who exonerated Morocco from any responsibility for the Ceuta crossing.
