Faced with the European embargo on Russian petroleum products, Morocco increased its imports of diesel from Russia in 2023. According to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), revealed by Reuters, Morocco was among the main buyers of this fuel on the African continent.
Russia increased its diesel exports to Africa by more than 300% in 2023, from 2.4 million tonnes in 2022 to 10.2 million tonnes. This trend is expected to continue in 2024, with 0.8 million tonnes already exported in January. Russian diesel has attracted many countries, notably Turkey, which bought 13.5 million tonnes, and Brazil, which acquired 6.5 million tonnes.
Russian diesel has two major advantages for African countries: its cost and its quality. On the one hand, it is cheaper than Brent, the international benchmark price for oil, by an average of $2.5 per barrel, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). On the other hand, it is more environmentally friendly and more suitable for local refining capacities, as it contains less sulfur than other types of diesel.
Russia has managed to compensate for the loss of the European market, which decided in February 2023 to boycott its petroleum products due to the conflict between it and Ukraine. Russia has diversified its outlets and strengthened its presence in Asia, which has become its leading export destination, with an increase of 56% in 2023.
The importation of Russian diesel by Morocco was the subject of controversy within the political class in spring 2023. Several parliamentary groups called for the establishment of a commission of inquiry to shed light on this affair. The company Afriquia SMDC, which distributes fuel in Morocco, denied on social networks having sold Russian diesel on the national market. It claimed that it had not imported Russian diesel, either directly or indirectly, but was also not prohibited from doing so.
