EU Chief Reaffirms Willingness to Deepen Ties with Morocco, EU’s Key Partner in Region

European Union Commission President, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, has voiced the Union’s determination to strengthen further its relations with Morocco, EU’s major partner and friend in the region.

The EU Chief made the remarks on Tuesday in Rabat wherein she conferred separately with the Head of Govt. Aziz Akhannouch and Foreign minister Nasser Bourita on ways of fostering EU-Moroccan partnership, the global challenges facing Morocco and Europe as well as the new agenda for the Mediterranean.

Morocco is the first partner of the European Union in the African continent, said Ms. Ursula, hailing the shared Moroccan-European cultural legacy which has been mutually nourished over the centuries.

“I reaffirm our desire to continue to deepen our relations – as neighbors, as partners, as friends”, she stressed, affirming that the two partners can build a common and ambitious vision of their partnership.

“We are working on the development of a green partnership”, explained the European Commission President, noting that this
will “allow us to engage together in the development of greener energy.”

“We are also cooperating to strengthen the connectivity of our societies, including through a broad digital partnership”, said Ms. Ursula, affirming that “much can be done to further integrate our economies and better adapt them. This will benefit our companies and their employees.”

She also stressed the importance of education of young people and culture in the Euro-Moroccan cooperation, commending in this regard
the New Development Model, spearheaded by King Mohammed VI, for inclusive and sustainable growth, putting citizens at the heart of all socioeconomic projects.

Building on a partnership of equals in place for half a century, Morocco and the EU have made considerable progress to the benefit of the shared interests of both parties.

In 2019, they launched the “Euro-Moroccan Partnership for Shared Prosperity” for enhanced political consultation and better cooperation in the fields of security, economy, trade, climate change, migration, mobility…

The two partners pledged to give a new impetus to their strategic, multidimensional and privileged relationship, an impetus consistent with their mutual expectations and challenges.