Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the UK-Morocco Joint Communique: Enhanced Strategic Partnership, published on 1 June 2025, what steps his Department is taking to encourage UK businesses to invest in Western Sahara.

Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.