Morocco and the United States, Relations Explained

MOROCCO · US RELATIONS

Morocco US relations rest on a friendship of nearly 250 years, a free-trade deal and joint military drills.In 2026 a new 12.5% US tariff and a fertiliser dispute test that bond for American farmers, investors and travellers.

In Plain English: Who Is Who

Morocco is a kingdom in north-west Africa, facing Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar. King Mohammed VI is head of state and, under Article 47 of the constitution, appoints the head of government.

On 29 September 2026 the king named Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, leader of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, as Head of Government. On 20 October 2026 she called her programme a contract based on royal trust and the voters’ will.

• Free-trade agreement: a 2006 treaty that cuts trade barriers and opens each market to the other country’s goods and services.
• Major Non-NATO Ally: a US label, given to Morocco in 2004, that opens the door to closer military cooperation and arms sales.
• Western Sahara: a desert territory on Morocco’s southern edge, claimed by Morocco and by the Polisario Front, a Sahrawi independence movement.
• OCP: the Moroccan phosphate producer named in the US duty order on fertiliser.
• Section 301: a US trade law that lets the government raise tariffs on countries it accuses of unfair practices.

Two Centuries of Friendship

The State Department says Sultan Mohammed III opened Moroccan ports to American ships in 1777. A treaty of peace and friendship followed in 1786, which Washington calls the longest unbroken relationship in US history.

Full diplomatic relations began in 1905. Morocco was a French protectorate from 1912 to 1956, and normal ties resumed when the United States recognised its independence in 1956.

Washington named Morocco a Major Non-NATO Ally in 2004. The free-trade deal took effect on 1 January 2006.

For daily coverage, follow our Morocco hub page. It collects our reports on the kingdom’s politics, economy and people.

Trade and Tariffs

The US Trade Representative, the government’s chief trade negotiator, puts total goods and services trade at an estimated US$9.6 billion in 2025. That was 4.2% more than in 2024.

America sells far more than it buys. In 2025 US goods exports were US$5.5 billion and imports US$1.9 billion, a US surplus of US$3.7 billion.

Services trade added an estimated US$2.2 billion, split almost evenly: US$1.2 billion of US exports and US$1.0 billion of imports. In 2005, the year before the free-trade deal took effect, the US goods surplus was only about US$35 million.

The US Trade Representative’s final action of 23 July 2026 put 60 economies under Section 301 tariffs. The reason is a failure to ban goods made with forced labour, and Morocco sits in the 12.5% group.

The tariff applies to goods entered from 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on 24 July 2026, according to US Customs and Border Protection. Exemptions cover items such as civil aircraft, pharmaceuticals and some steel, aluminium and copper goods.

Phosphate Fertiliser and the US Duty Dispute

Phosphate is a mineral that farmers turn into fertiliser. OCP, the Moroccan producer named in the US duty case, is the company at the centre of the dispute.

US duties on the product date from April 2021, when Washington issued a countervailing duty order on Moroccan phosphate. A countervailing duty is a tax meant to offset subsidies that a foreign government is accused of paying.

On 29 June 2026 the president declared an emergency over fertiliser supplies. It allows duty-free entry of Moroccan phosphate fertiliser for up to eight months, until late February 2027 at the latest.

The proclamation cites supply disruptions from regional conflicts and trade actions by big producers, and too little US output for farm demand. It says the step protects food production and farm security.

On 24 July 2026 the Commerce Department preliminarily found that ending the order would likely bring back subsidies, at an estimated 20.04% rate. The US International Trade Commission, an independent agency, holds its own review hearing at 9:30 a.m. on 1 April 2027.

Security and Military Ties

Defence is the most visible part of the partnership. African Lion 2026, a joint US and Moroccan military exercise, ran in Morocco from 27 April to 8 May 2026.

About 5,000 personnel from more than 40 countries were expected, at sites including Agadir, Cap Draa and Tifnit. US soldiers fired howitzers at Cap Draa, and Utah National Guard medical teams planned to treat about 20,000 patients.

On 15 April 2025 the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which handles US arms sales, told Congress of a possible Stinger missile sale. The value was US$825 million.

Two smaller notices came earlier, in December 2024: air-to-air missiles worth US$88.37 million and Small Diameter Bombs worth US$86 million. A notice is a Congress alert, not a final contract.

The State Department calls Morocco a strong counterterrorism partner that works with US law enforcement. Even so, it rates travel to Morocco at Level 2, “exercise increased caution”, because of terrorism.

Western Sahara: The Issue Behind the Partnership

Western Sahara is the hardest topic in Morocco US relations: Spain left in 1975 and Morocco then claimed the territory. A UN-monitored ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario Front has held since 1991, and a UN mission called MINURSO watches over it.

In December 2020 the United States recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the entire territory. It called Morocco’s autonomy plan the only basis for a lasting solution and said it would open a consulate in Dakhla, on the territory’s coast.

In October 2025 the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 by 11 votes to none. China, Pakistan and Russia abstained, and Algeria did not take part.

The United States drafted the text, which backs talks “taking as basis” Morocco’s autonomy proposal. It extended MINURSO until 31 October 2026 and asked the UN Secretary-General for a strategic review of its future.

Business, Aid and Investment

The State Department says more than 150 American companies operate in Morocco, mainly in renewable energy, infrastructure, aviation and environmental technology. Business hubs such as Casablanca anchor the Morocco US relations that matter to investors.

Read our reports on Morocco overtaking South Africa as an investment pick and on state firms planning US$21 billion of spending. Our Casablanca city page covers life in the business capital.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation, a US development agency, runs a US$450 million second compact with Morocco. It targets secondary schools, job skills and land productivity.

The State Department also lists military training and counter-terrorism aid. It warns that foreign firms still face slow bureaucracy and weak court efficiency.

Visas, Travel and the Moroccan Diaspora

Morocco is not among the countries whose citizens face US entry bans under the proclamation that took effect on 1 January 2026. That list covers 19 countries under full bans and 20 under partial limits.

For Morocco US relations at the human level, Moroccan citizens need a US visa and face the usual security checks. They apply through the State Department’s normal process.

The 2020 US Census counted more than 100,000 people who reported Moroccan origin, alone or with another group. Our guide to Morocco’s population explains the people behind the numbers.

American visitors going the other way should follow the State Department advice. It names tourist sites, transport hubs, markets and shopping malls as possible targets.

What It Means for US Readers

Farmers feel Morocco US relations first, because the duty-free window and the duty review help set phosphate prices. The commission’s hearing is set for April 2027.

Importers of Moroccan goods now pay a 12.5% Section 301 tariff on covered products, in addition to ordinary duties. Exporters to Morocco still work under the 2006 free-trade deal, and US goods exports reached US$5.5 billion in 2025.

Investors and travellers deal with a long-standing partner that has clear risks. Terrorism warnings, the Western Sahara dispute and the priorities of the new government deserve a look before any large commitment.

What Is Not Known

As of 28 October 2026 it is not known whether the UN Security Council will renew MINURSO, whose mandate ends on 31 October 2026. The review of the mission that Resolution 2797 requested has no public result either.

The full list of Moroccan products exempt from the 12.5% tariff is spread across technical annexes. How far the planned US consulate in Dakhla has advanced is also not known.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free-trade agreement between Morocco and the United States?

Yes. It was signed on 15 June 2004 and took effect on 1 January 2006. It cuts trade barriers between the two countries.

What tariff does the United States charge Morocco in 2026?

Covered Moroccan goods face a 12.5% Section 301 tariff since 24 July 2026. Product exemptions are listed in the annexes, so not every item is hit.

Does the United States recognise Moroccan rule over Western Sahara?

Yes. In December 2020 Washington recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the whole territory. It still backs UN-led talks based on Morocco’s autonomy plan.

Is Morocco a US ally?

Morocco is a Major Non-NATO Ally, a status granted in 2004. That is not a treaty alliance, but it allows closer military cooperation and arms sales.

Can Moroccans travel to the United States in 2026?

Yes, with a visa. Morocco is not on the list of countries under US entry bans that took effect on 1 January 2026.

Is Morocco safe for American travellers?

The State Department rates Morocco Level 2, exercise increased caution, because of terrorism. Travellers should take care at tourist sites, transport hubs and markets.

Sources: US State Department, US Relations With Morocco, 28 October 2026; Office of the US Trade Representative, Morocco trade facts (2025), 28 October 2026; Office of the US Trade Representative, US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement, 28 October 2026; Federal Register, Section 301 forced-labour tariff action on 60 economies (memorandum of 23 July 2026), 28 July 2026; Office of the US Trade Representative, final action in the forced labor Section 301 investigations, 23 July 2026; US Customs and Border Protection, CSMS 69326983: Section 301 forced labor import duties, July 2026; Federal Register, Proclamation on duty-free importation of phosphate fertilizer from Morocco, 2 July 2026; Federal Register, Phosphate fertilizers from Morocco, preliminary results of sunset review, 24 July 2026; US International Trade Commission, full five-year reviews of phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia, 9 October 2026; US Army, African Lion 26 launch, 2026; Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Morocco arms sale notifications, 28 October 2026; United Nations, Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025) on Western Sahara, 31 October 2025; Federal Register, Proclamation recognising Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, 15 December 2020; US State Department, Morocco travel advisory (Level 2), 21 April 2025; US Census Bureau, 2020 Census Middle Eastern and North African population, September 2023; Government of Morocco, appointment of the Head of Government, 29 September 2026; The White House, proclamation restricting and limiting the entry of foreign nationals (effective 1 January 2026), December 2025.

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