EU Renews willingness to strengthen partnership with Morocco

The European Union reiterated on Thursday its willingness to strengthen “the excellent” partnership and mutually beneficial relationship binding it to Morocco and renewed its determination to work to this end with the new Moroccan Government.

In a joint statement by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Frederica Mogherini, and the Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, the EU congratulated the Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani on the formation of a new government that won a vote of confidence on Wednesday.

“We take this opportunity to confirm the determination of the European Union to work together with the new Moroccan Government on strengthening the excellent partnership between the EU and Morocco in order to face common challenges,” the two EU officials said in the joint statement.

“Morocco has long been a strategic partner in our neighborhood, with which we have developed a long-standing relationship of trust,” said the European officials, adding, “EU-Morocco cooperation is solid and includes many strategic areas, making our relationship mutually beneficial.”

The EU also reiterated its support for the continuation and deepening of the reform process Morocco started in the wake of the 2011 constitutional reforms undertaken under the authority of King Mohammed VI.