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GAZ without failure: the Russian car industry is gaining a foothold in the Moroccan market
GAZ cars can be purchased at 34 dealerships in Morocco, and more than 1,000 Russian cars have been delivered to the country since 2018, the Russian Embassy in Rabat told Izvestia. KAMAZ is also showing interest in the Moroccan market, as the company is considering exporting trucks and buses. The General Director of the Moroccan industrial and port zone, in an interview with Izvestia, expressed hope for expanding cooperation with Russian companies. AvtoVAZ also talked about negotiations with potential partners throughout Africa, and KAMAZ recalled that the region remains one of their key export markets. The company already supplies mainly four-wheel drive vehicles there and can localize production.
Russian cars are becoming more popular in Morocco
Leading Russian car companies are showing interest in the market in Morocco. In particular, GAZ Group is promoting a line of light commercial vehicles together with its partner, the official distributor of Africa Motors (a division of Auto Hall Group, one of the leading companies selling passenger cars and commercial vehicles in Morocco), the Russian Embassy in the kingdom informed Izvestia.
"Currently, GAZ vehicles can be purchased and serviced at 34 dealerships in 26 cities, including Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Marrakech, Tangier, etc. 1,050 vehicles have been shipped since the start of regular deliveries," the diplomatic mission said.
After concluding the distribution deal, GAZ successfully completed the national certification of its vehicles in 2018, which opened the way for regular deliveries, the embassy said.
The Gazelle NEXT on-board modifications are particularly popular, on the basis of which Africa Motors has developed minibuses for transporting schoolchildren, among others. In 2022, the range expanded to include ambulances, the embassy said.
Another major Russian automaker, KamAZ, is also considering the possibility of entering the Moroccan market.
"Kamaz PJSC is showing some interest in entering the Moroccan market and is exploring the possibility of supplying trucks, special equipment and buses based on the KAMAZ chassis," the diplomatic mission noted.
The future holds promising opportunities for Morocco's automotive industry, as the country's industrial strategy aims to produce 1 million vehicles annually by 2030, making the country one of the world's largest manufacturing countries.
Mohammed Jamal Bedjelloun, General Director of the Nador West Med industrial and port zone, said in an interview with Izvestia that he hopes to expand cooperation with Russian companies in the near future.
"Russian companies seeking to enter the Moroccan market have great opportunities, especially in light of the strong relations between the two countries, but they also face some difficulties," Idris Fena, a professor at the Moroccan National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics, told Izvestia.
The expert highlighted fierce competition from European, American and Chinese companies with strong positions in the Moroccan market as one of the main problems. Among them are Renault, Peugeot, Stellantis and Ford. Fena stressed that Russian companies do not enjoy the same privileges as European and Turkish ones, and this may make Russian products less competitive in terms of customs duties or ease of market access.
Russian presence in Africa
In an effort to mitigate the effects of declining trade with the West, Moscow is actively restoring ties with Africa, viewing the continent as part of the Global South with broad economic opportunities.
The expansion of Russia's economic cooperation with Africa affects several key sectors at once, from energy and agriculture to infrastructure projects and industry. The Russian car industry, for example, is rapidly gaining popularity in the region. Strengthening ties with African countries opens up new opportunities for the supply of cars and special equipment.
AvtoVAZ confirmed to Izvestia that the company is already negotiating with potential partners. However, they did not disclose the details of the discussions there, referring to the negotiation process. Earlier, Ethiopia's ambassador to the Russian Federation, Cham Ugala Uriat, told TASS that the republic would open production of Russian Lada cars for the African market on its territory. According to the diplomat, supplies can also be made to neighboring countries, for example, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan.
Africa remains one of the key export destinations for KAMAZ. As Oleg Afanasyev, the head of the company's press service, told Izvestia, KAMAZ cooperates with a dozen African countries, and this interaction has never stopped. However, he stressed that the prospects in the African market are situational in nature: the demand for products varies depending on the country and the year, and there is no single market as such.
— Currently, KAMAZ products in African countries are mainly represented in four-wheel drive. We are ready to supply our other equipment," Afanasyev said.
Africans are also interested in the localization of car production, as this will lead to the development of related industries: chemical, metallurgy, plastic and glass.
— It is possible to talk about the organization of local production with stable demand and sales support at the state level of African countries. At the same time, we are negotiating with a number of countries on the African continent about the possible location of our production facilities there. But it's too early to talk about specifics," the company noted.
But it's worth noting that Russian cars, including trucks, SUVs, and commercial vehicles, are often cheaper than their Western and Asian counterparts. And for many African countries, where purchasing power remains relatively low, price plays a key role.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
