A new wave of European sanctions on Russian energy exports, including a ban on re-exporting Russian gas from European countries to non-EU nations, raises questions about its impact on Morocco, a country that imports Russian gas via Spanish re-gasification plants.
According to European sources, these sanctions began to gradually take effect in June, primarily targeting oil and gas, which are major revenue sources for Moscow.
The sanctions aim to deliver an economic blow to Russia, reducing its capacity to fund military operations in Ukraine, a conflict that has been ongoing for over two years with no clear end in sight.
Morocco is among the countries that rely on Russian gas imports, appearing in May statistics as an importer of "gas via pipelines," using Spanish re-gasification facilities before transporting it via the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline.
The EU's decision to ban the re-export of Russian gas from Europe raises concerns for Morocco, which currently depends on importing and re-gasifying Russian gas in Spain before piping it to the kingdom.
Moroccan economist Dr. Omar Kettani told Assahifa that it is highly unlikely Morocco will be affected by these European sanctions, as it is not bound by EU or US decisions regarding sanctions on Russia.
Kettani emphasized that Morocco engages in a free global market for gas trading and has been importing Russian gas despite previous Western sanctions on Moscow, without any adverse effects. He sees no current obstacle to continuing these imports.
Regarding the EU's ban on re-exporting Russian gas, Kettani noted Morocco's strong relations with Spain, making it improbable that Madrid would block the continued re-export of gas to Morocco.
Given the vital role of gas in Morocco's economy, Kettani pointed out that Europe itself has no interest in being surrounded by countries facing economic hardships due to energy shortages.
In conclusion, Kettani affirmed that Morocco, like other nations, prioritizes its interests above all else, and halting Russian gas imports or relying on other sources for its energy needs is not an option.
