Morocco aerospace exports could rise to $5 billion, industry group says

By Ahmed Eljechtimi

MARRAKECH, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Morocco's aerospace industry could increase annual exports to about $5 billion within three years from $3 billion last year, as it attracts new suppliers manufacturing high-value parts, the head of industry association GIMAS said.

The North African country's aerospace sector employs about 25,000 people across around 160 companies, including suppliers to Airbus, Boeing and Safran.

The sector aims to increase local value added by moving beyond producing individual components into manufacturing more complex aerospace systems, GIMAS head Mohammed Bellatig told Reuters on the sidelines of the Marrakech Airshow.

He said that in the near future, Morocco would be assembling engines and landing gear "so that we provide much bigger added value than we have today".

French defence group Safran is currently expanding its footprint in the country by building plants to produce aircraft landing gear and Airbus jet engines.

Morocco is also looking to gain a foothold in the drone industry, which officials view as a natural extension of capabilities already developed in aircraft manufacturing.

Bellatig said drone production could leverage expertise in materials, assembly and engineering already present in the country's aerospace sector.

The push received further support at the October 7-10 Marrakech Air Show, where Morocco signed a memorandum of understanding with French defense startup Harmattan AI to manufacture Moroccan autonomous drones designed for deep-strike missions at ranges of up to 2,000 km, with key technologies to be developed and produced locally.

In recent years, Moroccan authorities have granted licences to a series of local and foreign-backed drone projects, with involvement from companies including Turkish Baykar, producer of Bayraktar TB2.

(Reporting by Ahmed El Jechtimi; Editing by Aidan Lewis)