COP22: Australia To Open Embassy in Morocco To Foster Partnership

Australia’s top diplomat Julie Bishop said Wednesday in Marrakech that her country will open shortly an embassy in Rabat as relations between the two countries are gaining momentum.
Julie Bishop is representing her country at the 22nd UN conference climate conference (COP22) convening in Marrakech from 7 to 18 November.
Following her meeting with Moroccan peer Salaheddine Mezouar, acting chairman of COP22, the Australian Foreign minister said her country has decided to open embassy in Morocco’s capital because the two countries share huge untapped potentials while bilateral cooperation prospects look promising.
“We hope the opening of the embassy will usher in a new era in Australian-Moroccan relations”, she said, expressing her country’s keen interest to foster further economic relations, especially in renewable energies.
About 30,000 Australian tourists visit annually the city of Marrakech, added Mrs Julie Bishop, saying she is convinced that this number will keep growing increasing in the coming years due to Morocco political stability, tolerance, stability and thriving tourism sector.
Bishop, who was born 17 July 1956, is an Australian politician, serving as Foreign minister since 2013. She is also deputy leader of the Liberal Party since 2007.
Bishop grew up in the Adelaide Hills. She was educated at the St Peter’s Collegiate Girls’ School and attended the University of Adelaide. After her graduation and several jobs, she became managing partner of major Australian law firm Clayton Utz.
Bishop began her political career as a member of the Australian House of Representatives during the 1998 federal election for the seat of Curtin in Western Australia.
She is the first female deputy leader of the Liberal Party and was the third woman to hold the title of Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
Bishop previously served in the Howard Government as the Minister for Ageing from 2003 to 2006, and the Minister for Education, Science and Training from 2006 to 2007, until the defeat of the Liberal/National Coalition at the election held on 24 November 2007.