There has been a significant increase in investment in recent years by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in Morocco, particularly in the strategic sectors of renewable energy, desalination and water security, as well as advanced logistics. Specifically, the total value of Emirates’ capital in the country has exceeded $30 billion, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar have also increased their economic presence through business missions and bilateral funds, such as the $2 billion Morocco-Qatar joint fund for strategic sectors.
This trend is part of a broader regional context: between 2012 and 2022, GCC States invested over $100 billion in Africa. In this context, with an already consolidated financial and logistics infrastructure, Morocco serves as a strategic international gateway for investment in Africa.
Indeed, the Tanger-Med port handled over 10 million containers in 2024, strengthening its position among the top 20 ports globally and being a crucial hub for supply chains between the Gulf, Maghreb, and Africa. Similarly, with over 240 international companies hosted there, Casablanca Finance City (CFC) has established itself as one of the continent’s leading financial centres, leveraging a robust regulatory framework, targeted tax incentives, and strategic partnerships with other global financial centres. CFC also ranked fourth in the Middle East and Africa region, according to the Global Financial Centres Index 2025.
This structure suggests opportunities for developing an economic and trade triangular arrangement between Italy, the Gulf countries, and sub-Saharan Africa, using Morocco as an operational platform. The country’s stability, its network of relations across the continent, and its geographic proximity to Europe make it a key gateway to the Mediterranean and African markets.
Italy Already Active in the Africa-Europe-Gulf Triangle
The Gulf and Africa are already two favourite destinations for Italian diplomatic activism. Morocco is one of the 14 countries included in the Mattei Plan, the Italian government’s strategy to build a new partnership with African countries. The country will host a centre of excellence dedicated to training in renewable energy and energy efficiency, benefiting the entire African continent. Thanks to the Mattei Plan, the centre will train experts, administrators, and technicians in the renewable energy and electricity infrastructure sectors, promoting sustainable energy development by strengthening local managerial and professional skills.
Furthermore, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are among the target countries of the Action Plan for Italian exports to high-potential non-EU countries, together accounting for over a third of Italian exports to the MENA (Middle East-North Africa) region. Italian exports to these two countries are primarily focused on green technologies, mechanical engineering, luxury goods, and defence sectors.
An initiative to connect the Sahel to the Atlantic Ocean
The Gulf States are among the supporters, and potential funders, of the huge “Atlantic Initiative” promoted by Morocco to ensure Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad access to the ocean, with the aim of promoting the integration of the Sahel economies into the global market. Indeed, considering its strategic location, Morocco intends to position itself as a reliable partner for Europe, the Gulf, and the United States in accessing the region’s markets. The project’s technical feasibility will largely depend on the investment needed to fill the local infrastructure gap.
