European Commissioner: EU will Use All Means to Move Partnership with Morocco Forward

The European Union (EU) will use all means to move the partnership with Morocco forward, said, on Thursday, the European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi.

“I had today an excellent meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Abroad, Nasser Bourita, to discuss our ambitious new agenda for the Mediterranean,” said the European Commissioner in a tweet.

“We will use all means to move our partnership forward,” he said, adding that “the EU will continue to support Morocco in the fight against Covid-19”.

This meeting, which is part of the regular consultations between the two officials, was an opportunity for Bourita to pay tribute to the proactive commitment of Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, and to express his appreciation for his attention and participatory and partnership-based approach.

In this regard, Bourita welcomed the publication by the European Commission on February 9 of the Communication on “A renewed partnership with the Southern Neighborhood: an Agenda for the Mediterranean”.

This Communication, which comes at the right time in a context marked by the health crisis, is a laudable development given its approach, content and the promising prospects.

The Moroccan minister welcomed the fact that the European Communication reinforces the ambitions agreed upon during the Association Council of June 2019 and the ministerial teleconference of October 2, 2020, and consolidates the new structuring of Morocco-EU bilateral relations in 4 areas (the political and security area, the economic and social area, the values area, and the shared knowledge one) and 2 aspects (environment and climate change; mobility and migration).

Bourita noted with satisfaction the shared fields of action between this Communication and its Investment Plan, and the priorities of the Kingdom set by HM King Mohammed VI in His Speech of the Throne, to foster the resilience of the national economy; which illustrates the relevance and wisdom of the Royal Vision.

The European plan notably proposes European participation in the Mohammed VI Strategic Investment Fund, support for the Morocco-EU Green Partnership and for the Kingdom’s renewable energy objectives, support for the establishment of social protection systems, support for the Generation Green agricultural strategy, and support for the higher education sector.

This European commitment is part of a logic of sustainable win-win investment, that would contribute to beneficial economic integration not only between Morocco and the EU, but also within the African continent.

MAP 18 February 2021