MOROCCO · TRADE
Key Facts
- What is happening Morocco’s aerospace exports reached 26.2 billion dirhams (about US$2.7 billion) in January to September, up 22.3%.
- Why it matters Aerospace exports grew twice as fast as all goods exports (10.7%); car exports are five times larger.
- The numbers Assembly rose 27.5% to US$1.8 billion and electrical wiring rose 12% to US$0.8 billion.
- Who is who Curtiss-Wright is a US technology group; Midparc is an aerospace industrial park near Casablanca.
- What to watch Whether growth holds near 22% at year end and what the Curtiss-Wright plant brings in jobs and investment.
- What it means for you A US free trade agreement with Morocco has been in force since 1 January 2006, and Curtiss-Wright plans a plant.
Morocco sold 26.2 billion dirhams (about US$2.7 billion) of aerospace goods abroad in nine months, up 22.3%. Assembly drove most of the gain.
Morocco’s aerospace exports rose 22.3% in the first nine months of 2026, to 26.2 billion dirhams (about US$2.7 billion). The Office des Changes, Morocco’s foreign-exchange authority, published the figure in its monthly trade bulletin at the end of October.
For US readers, the figures show how fast a North African aerospace base is growing, and a US firm is joining it. Curtiss-Wright, a US technology group, signed a deal on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 for a plant in Greater Casablanca.
Assembly Drives the Gain
Assembly, the largest segment, rose 27.5% to 18.0 billion dirhams (about US$1.8 billion). A year earlier it was 14.1 billion dirhams (about US$1.4 billion).
Electrical wiring systems for aircraft, known as EWIS, rose 12% to 8.1 billion dirhams (about US$0.8 billion). Assembly and wiring together make up almost all of the sector’s exports.
Total aerospace exports rose by 4.8 billion dirhams (about US$486 million) from 21.4 billion dirhams (about US$2.2 billion) a year earlier. Assembly alone supplied about four-fifths of that increase.
How It Compares With Cars and Total Exports
Total goods exports rose 10.7% to 384.05 billion dirhams (about US$39.0 billion). Imports rose 17% to nearly 708 billion dirhams (about US$71.9 billion).
The trade deficit widened 25.4% to 323.94 billion dirhams (about US$32.9 billion). Car exports rose 14.3% to 132.11 billion dirhams (about US$13.4 billion).
Aerospace is therefore about 7% of goods exports. It is growing faster than cars, which remain about five times larger.
The Industry Behind the Numbers
Midparc, an industrial park for aerospace firms near Casablanca, says about 155 companies work in the sector. Its chief executive, Hamid Benbrahim El Andaloussi, says the sector had about three in 2000 and employs about 27,000 people.
He says about 90% of Moroccan aerospace companies are in manufacturing. Maintenance, repair and overhaul remains the weakest area, in his view.
The US Link
The US Trade Representative, the White House trade office, says the US-Morocco free trade agreement took effect on 1 January 2006. On Tuesday, 21 July 2026, Morocco and Curtiss-Wright signed a memorandum of understanding at the Farnborough International Airshow in England.
The memorandum covers a surface-treatment plant for aerospace clients, starting in Greater Casablanca. No investment or job figures were given, and the company says it plans other regions later.
What It Means for You
US suppliers and buyers of aircraft parts have a fast-growing North African partner covered by a free trade agreement. The growth sits in assembly and wiring, not in cars or services.
Investors in US groups with Moroccan plans should watch whether the Curtiss-Wright plan moves from memorandum to construction. Dirham conversions in this article use 9.84 dirhams per US$ on 1 November 2026.
Related Rio Times reports include Curtiss-Wright Morocco Aerospace Deal: First Africa Plant and The Morocco Diaspora in the United States Explained. More coverage sits on the Morocco hub.
What Is Not Known
The figures are preliminary and may change in later bulletins. The share of aerospace exports that goes to the United States is not known.
The size of the Curtiss-Wright investment and the number of jobs it would create are not known. The counts of 155 companies and 27,000 jobs come from one company chief and are not official statistics.
What Comes Next
The next monthly bulletin, covering the first ten months, will show whether growth holds near 22%. Assembly will be the segment to watch.
The Curtiss-Wright deal is a memorandum, not a construction contract. No plant is confirmed until the company and Morocco announce one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Morocco export in aerospace?
Morocco exported 26.2 billion dirhams (about US$2.7 billion) of aerospace goods in January to September 2026. That is 22.3% more than a year earlier.
What drives Morocco’s aerospace export growth?
Assembly, up 27.5% to 18.0 billion dirhams (about US$1.8 billion), drove most of it. Electrical wiring systems added 12%, reaching 8.1 billion dirhams (about US$0.8 billion).
Is Morocco’s aerospace sector bigger than its car sector?
No. Car exports were 132.11 billion dirhams (about US$13.4 billion), against 26.2 billion dirhams (about US$2.7 billion) for aerospace. Aerospace is growing faster, at 22.3% against 14.3%.
Which US company is building in Morocco?
Curtiss-Wright, a US technology group, signed a memorandum of understanding with Morocco on 21 July 2026. It covers a surface-treatment plant in Greater Casablanca, with no investment figure published.
Sources: Office des Changes, Morocco, monthly foreign trade indicators bulletin, end of September 2026; Office of the US Trade Representative, Morocco Free Trade Agreement; Government of Morocco national portal, Farnborough 2026 announcement; statements by the chief executive of Midparc (conversions at 9.84 dirhams per US$, rates of 1 November 2026; all accessed 1 November 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief