State Department hails Morocco’s ‘extremely important’ participation in U.S.-Africa Summit

The U.S. State Department welcomed, Thursday, the “extremely important” participation of Morocco in U.S.-Africa leaders Summit, held in Washington December 13 to 15.

“Having Morocco here (at the summit in Washington) is extremely important,” said Robert Scott, U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs at the State Department, in a statement to the press on the sidelines of the three-day summit.

He noted that Morocco has participated in all discussions relating to strengthening the health system, climate change and economic development.

These are important issues for Africa, the United States and the world, said the U.S. official, affirming that the participation of a leading country like Morocco has added value to the summit.

Furthermore, the American diplomat praised the “incredible” spirit shown by the national team players at the World Cup in Qatar. The Atlas Lions deserve all the praise, he said.

The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit brings together representatives from nearly 50 countries, civil society and the private sector on the African continent, in addition to officials from the U.S. administration and the African Union Commission.

Participants in the three-day conclave discussed issues ranging from the HIV/AIDS pandemic to climate change, democracy, governance, security, trade, investment, and the development of partnerships between African countries and the United States.

The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, who represented King Mohammed VI at the summit, underlined in a statement to the media Morocco’s key role in relations between Africa and the United States, and highlighted the existing investment prospects between the two parties.

“Morocco can play a central role in relations between Africa and the United States, with regard to investment programs, the private sector and the financial sector… and the Government will use all the means at its disposal in this regard,” Akhannouch said.

He also touched on Morocco’s partnership with the Millennium Challenge Account, noting that important programs have been implemented successfully in the frame of this partnership and that these programs can serve as models in the world.

Akhannouch insisted that the Washington Summit is an opportunity to recall that the success of Moroccan-US relations requires willingness at the highest level of the country, as evidenced by the resolve of King Mohammed VI who made the decision to conclude a free trade agreement with the United States.

Thanks to this agreement, Morocco has been able to triple the volume of its trade with the United States, the Moroccan official noted.