Finland is strengthening its economic presence in Morocco

Finland is accelerating its bilateral cooperation with Morocco, as illustrated by the recent visit of its Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Sari Essayah.

Leading a delegation of companies, she explored business opportunities in the Kingdom from March 24 to 27.

This mission is part of sustained momentum, following the early March visit of Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, and the one carried out in April 2025 by business leaders led by the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio.

Several high-potential sectors have been identified, notably wood and forestry technologies. “Morocco imports more than 70% of the wood it consumes.

Finnish sawn timber, recognized for its quality, durability, and low carbon footprint, perfectly matches the needs of Morocco’s construction, furniture, and packaging industries,” emphasized Sari Essayah (see interview).

Water management technologies, smart agriculture, and digital solutions are also among the areas of cooperation.

Growth in economic exchanges
Economic exchanges between Rabat and Helsinki have seen notable growth in recent years, driven by a diversification of investments.

In 2024, Moroccan exports reached 77.6 million dollars, more than double their 2019 level, according to Comtrade. They are dominated by ores, slag, and ash (68.9 million dollars), followed by vehicles (4.9 million dollars) and clothing items (1.59 million dollars).

Conversely, Morocco imported about 344 million dollars’ worth of Finnish goods, mainly paper and cardboard (78 million dollars), fuels (75.6 million dollars), wood (59 million dollars), and machinery (53.7 million dollars), resulting in a trade deficit of 275 million dollars.

In this context, the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) has stepped up its initiatives. Last February, it organized a mission to Finland, led by the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, aimed at strengthening industrial and technological partnerships.

A year earlier, it had organized in Casablanca a seminar titled “Doing Business with Finland,” in collaboration with Finnpartnership.

Wärtsilä and Kalmar, spearheads of the Finnish presence
Bilateral dialogue has also intensified at the institutional level, with the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, to Helsinki in August 2024 to deepen trade and technological cooperation.

Several Finnish companies are already present in Morocco, particularly at Tanger Med. Kalmar, specialized in port handling, delivered in 2024 twenty hybrid straddle carriers to APM Terminals, strengthening an already substantial fleet.

Wärtsilä, active for more than 40 years, has developed digital solutions for port management with Tanger Med Special Agency, integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning. In 2024, it also renewed a five-year maintenance contract with ONEE for power plants totaling 169.5 MW.

Morocco and Finland now intend to consolidate their relations by focusing on future-oriented sectors such as ICT, artificial intelligence, and digital infrastructure.