Morocco is a partner country, a neighbor and a friend of Spain and the European Union, but above all an “indispensable ally” in addressing shared challenges, Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, said on Thursday in Brussels.
In a press statement following the 15th session of the EU-Morocco Association Council, the Spanish FM stressed that this meeting represents a key moment in Euro-Moroccan ties, as it helps strengthen cooperation across all areas and places Morocco at the heart of the EU’s strategic relations.
“It is unthinkable to consider meeting challenges and building the European Union’s shared future without maintaining strategic, top-tier relations with Morocco,” he insisted.
Albares added that this session enabled all EU Member States to fully recognize Morocco’s importance for regional stability and development, as well as for the European Union as a whole, as a friendly country, neighbor, partner and ally.
“We worked to ensure that this meeting was a success, and we will undoubtedly continue to work to further strengthen our relations with Morocco,” he concluded.
For his part, Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ian Borg, described Morocco as an “indispensable, reliable and very important partner” for the EU within the framework of its partnership with the Southern Neighborhood.
“This meeting is not merely another session of the EU-Morocco Association Council or a celebration of 30 years of cooperation between the two sides, but also an opportunity to look to the future and strengthen the EU-Morocco Association Agreement,” he said.
Borg noted that discussions during this Association Council focused on adapting and strengthening the bilateral partnership in light of current geopolitical challenges, as well as shared opportunities.
European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, on her part said that a strong partnership between the European Union and Morocco is essential for regional stability, economic opportunities, and cooperation across the Mediterranean.
“Our partnership is stronger than ever,” the European Commissioner wrote in a message published on the social network X. Relations between Morocco and the EU are “unique” and “built on shared ambitions, shared interests, and mutual trust,” she added.
“As we mark 30 years since the Association Agreement, we reaffirm Morocco as a key and strategic partner” for the EU, she underlined.
