Assahafa.com
Morocco is firmly determined to move forward hand in hand with the European Union (EU) with the aim of establishing a deeper, more strategic and more resilient partnership, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita said.
This is “a partnership that serves our peoples, guarantees our common prosperity and anchors stability in our shared space,” Bourita expressed in a speech on Thursday in Brussels at the 15th session of the Morocco-EU Association Council.
In this regard, Bourita affirmed that “Morocco, driven by its unwavering commitment and the Vision of its King, brings to the European Union not only expectations, but also a concrete strategic offer: stability, complementarity, competitiveness, growth, connectivity, and a bridge to the southern Mediterranean and Africa,” noting that Morocco and the EU, with more than half a century of cooperation, partnership, bilateral and regional co-construction, and exceptional achievements, are now urged to cross a new threshold in their relations together.
He thus assured that this 15th session of the Association Council is an opportunity to express this ambition and reaffirm the Kingdom’s commitment, armed with the same strength and belief that have always driven this unique, multidimensional strategic partnership, in accordance with the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which aims to “elevate our relationship to the status of a deeper, strategically anchored partnership that transcends the simple logic of neighborliness to become an alliance of shared destiny.”
On this occasion, the minister took stock of the six years since the Association Council meeting in June 2019, describing it as “positive overall,” with “substantial progress” achieved in the four areas of cooperation defined together, namely common values, economic convergence and social cohesion, shared knowledge, as well as political consultation and increased cooperation on security.
“This overall positive assessment does not obscure the challenges that remain,” Bourita said, noting that the relationship between strategic partners must be based on predictability and prior dialogue.
He added that while Morocco has always responded with commitment and determination to European initiatives (the Barcelona Process, ENP, Green Deal, Mediterranean Pact, etc.), it has done so out of a belief in shared interest, but also out of loyalty to the Partnership, which has been a major focus of the country’s foreign policy for 50 years.
In this context, the minister noted that “geopolitical transformations, as well as the close ties we have forged with Europe, have transformed Morocco into a natural and essential extension of the European geopolitical and economic sphere.”
Bourita further argued that “the elevation of the Partnership would of course entail imperatives, which we understand and are ready to meet: in terms of normative and regulatory convergence; in terms of mechanisms for prior, ongoing, and high-level consultation; and in terms of joint investments in sectors of the future.”
However, at the root of any qualitative evolution of the partnership, he continued, lies a paradigm shift that must be decided upon, calling for a shift from a “neighbor” logic to an ally logic, and from a “programs and projects” approach to strategic structural axes.
Bourita, who said that the ongoing work to develop a Deep Strategic Partnership is “our opportunity to chart our course for the next decade,” believes that building an exemplary partnership between the EU and Morocco cannot be achieved without mutual recognition and shared responsibility.
“If we aspire to a truly balanced partnership that takes due account of this unique relationship’s specificities and the interdependence we have capitalized on, it is essential for Morocco to be fully integrated—as is the case for some pre-accession countries—into the decision-making processes in areas that directly concern it, be it the environment, trade, port networks, or technical standards,” the minister said.
This upstream consultation is not a mere formality: it is the cement of trust and the guarantee of lasting membership, Bourita pointed out, speaking of the need to “mobilize all the driving forces of our societies” so that the Partnership does not remain a pipe dream among diplomats.
This “grounding in reality” is vital to avoid building a purely technocratic Partnership and to ensure meeting the expectations of the people, he said.
In this dynamic perspective, the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will have the honor and pride of co-hosting with Spain and Portugal, represents a historic and unique opportunity to accelerate the Partnership’s operations, he said, adding that “this unifying event can—and must—bring us together physically through accelerated modernization of transport and logistics, digitization of services, development of sustainable infrastructure, reinforcing security measures, and promotion of responsible and inclusive tourism.”
“We propose to make the 2030 deadline an accelerator for the partnership, demonstrating its relevance and added value,” Bourita concluded.
Source: map
