Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, expressed confidence on Thursday in Brussels in the positive and promising prospects of the partnership between Morocco and the European Union.
Speaking to the press shortly before the opening of the 15th session of the Morocco–EU Association Council, Bourita said he was convinced the meeting would be fruitful and would open up new opportunities for both sides.
The minister underlined the importance of the session on symbolic, political and economic levels, noting that it comes as the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Morocco–European Union Association Agreement approaches. He described the agreement as the foundation of three decades of a solid and diversified institutional partnership, in which Morocco has remained at the forefront of the EU’s relations with its Mediterranean neighbourhood.
Bourita also highlighted the political dimension of the meeting, stressing that it is taking place in an international context marked by uncertainty and ongoing conflicts.
Under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, he said, Morocco has positioned itself as a stable and reliable partner, offering clarity and predictability to its partners, while maintaining a clear and pragmatic reading of regional and international developments.
The minister recalled that Morocco has consistently adopted an approach based on both high expectations and firm commitment, remaining demanding in expressing its interests while fully honoring its obligations, an approach he said will continue to shape relations with the European Union.
On the economic level, Bourita noted that Morocco remains the European Union’s leading trading partner south of the Mediterranean and across Africa.
He added that the Morocco–EU partnership could serve as a model for the future of relations between the European Union and its southern neighbourhood.
Bourita concluded by saying that the broad participation of EU member states in the Association Council, including at ministerial level, reflects Morocco’s standing within the Euro-Mediterranean partnership and its capacity to contribute effectively to addressing regional and global challenges.
