All-Party Parliamentary Group on Morocco Reconstituted at British Parliament

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Morocco within the British Parliament was reconstituted on Wednesday in London with the aim of giving strong impetus to parliamentary action to strengthen relations between Morocco and the United Kingdom.

The reconstitution of the group in the wake of the UK’s July general election, which returned the Labour Party to power, reflects the UK Parliament’s strong commitment to strengthening dialogue and cooperation with Morocco on a range of crucial issues.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the group, co-chaired by opposition Conservative MP Andrew Murrison and ruling Labour MP Fabian Hamilton, Morocco’s ambassador to the UK, Hakim Hajoui, gave an exhaustive account of the political, economic, and security issues that Morocco and the UK share as part of their privileged bilateral relationship.

Recalling the Kingdom’s national priorities, with the Moroccan Sahara issue as a cornerstone, the ambassador highlighted Morocco’s strategic role in the Atlantic and Sahel regions, detailing in particular the Royal vision for the Atlantic and ongoing cooperation in the fields of green energy, counter-terrorism, trade agreements, and regional stability.

Highlighting the progress made in these areas, Mr. Hajoui underlined the complementarities between the two Kingdoms and the central role Morocco can play in the UK’s regional and global strategic objectives.

“The reconstitution of the APPG-Morocco comes at an important time in Moroccan-British relations,” the diplomat observed, adding that it reflects “a shared resolve to further strengthen ties between our two kingdoms, address national priorities, and foster parliamentary exchanges and collaboration between our two countries, in line with the speech delivered by HM King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, on the occasion of the opening of the parliamentary session last October.”

For his part, Mr. Hamilton said he was “honored” by his election as co-chairman of the parliamentary group for Morocco. He expressed his determination to work with co-chair Mr. Murrison to strengthen “the historic relationship with Morocco, one of the UK’s oldest allies.”

Mr. Murrison welcomed the reconstitution of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Morocco, underlining that the already strong relationship between Morocco and the UK “will be taken to a new level.”

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Morocco includes over 20 high-profile MPs from across the political spectrum in both Houses of Parliament in Westminster and fulfills its primary vocation of contributing to efforts aimed at further enhancing the level of relations between Morocco and the UK.

The group also aims to strengthen strategic parliamentary diplomacy. Its re-establishment reflects a strong desire to develop this diplomacy in the service of relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom.

It is also a renewed commitment to strengthening dialogue on crucial regional and global issues, paving the way for even more fertile and solid bilateral relations between two countries bound by a long history of friendship.

Besides Murrison, former Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Northern Ireland, and Defense, and Hamilton, former Minister for Peace and Disarmament and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the former shadow government, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Morocco comprises parliamentarians with extensive experience in key foreign affairs, trade, and security issues.

Notable members include Afzal Khan, a Labour member of the House of Commons (lower house) and former shadow government Minister for Immigration with an active voice on international affairs and human rights issues; Lord Bellingham, a Conservative member of the House of Lords (upper house) and former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa; and Mark Garnier, a Conservative member of the House of Commons and former Minister for International Trade.

The group also includes Bambos Charalambous, a Labour member of the House of Commons and former Minister for the Middle East and North Africa in the former Shadow Government; Lord Udny-Lister, a Conservative member of the House of Lords and former Chief of Staff of Downing Street from 2019 to 2021; and Bill Esterson, a Labour member of the House of Commons and Chairman of the Energy and Net Zero Committee.