Morocco, Italy Share Desire, Commitment to Strengthen Multidimensional Partnership – Bourita

On Jul 6, 2023

Nasser Bourita, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, said during a working visit to Italy on Wednesday that Morocco and Italy share the ambition and commitment to expand their multifaceted relationship.

Following talks with Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, Bourita told the press, “This visit to Italy is part of His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s policy to diversify and strengthen partnerships within Europe and the EU, and to consolidate ties with credible European powers.”

The Minister emphasized that Morocco and Italy have “traditionally strong” ties that are founded on “fruitful” cooperation in all areas.

He added that this action plan sets four priorities for Morocco-Italy relations over the next few years, including strengthening political dialogue on regional issues in Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, consolidating economic and cultural cooperation, and strengthening security cooperation. The meeting with the head of Italian diplomacy was an opportunity to sign an Action Plan for the implementation of the multidimensional strategic partnership, to be signed in 2019, he said.

According to Bourita, Tajani will soon visit Morocco to discuss taking tangible action on the four goals outlined in the action plan.

The Minister also reminded that Italy, a major player in the Mediterranean, intends to become a significant role in Africa, stressing that Morocco is a powerful actor on the continent of Africa thanks to HM the King’s vision.

Moroccan top diplomat: “Italy is eager to work in Africa with Morocco, which it considers to be a key player in the Mediterranean region, due to its stability and the initiatives it is undertaking, on the orders of His Majesty the King, in various fields.”

The economic relationship between the two nations, according to Bourita, is “promising,” and 200 Italian businesses are present in the Kingdom across numerous industries. Italy is one of Morocco’s top 10 trading partners.

He explained, “Today, we’re working on establishing a Business Council to create a shared vision between Morocco and Italy to cooperate in Africa and combine their efforts in this area.

Bourita also discussed his earlier-in-the-day meetings with the Speaker of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and the Chairman of the European Union Policy Committee in the Italian Senate, both of whom, according to the Minister, expressed a willingness to cooperate and a desire for the Kingdom to be a “principal partner” of Italy in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the continent as a whole.

The Minister asserts that this is a “strong signal” from a European power, confirming the Kingdom’s legitimacy and “recognition of the role of Morocco and HM the King as a key player in its Arab, African, and Mediterranean environment.”

On the invitation of his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates traveled to Italy on Wednesday, July 5.

Following Tajani’s nomination as the Italian Republic’s Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in October 2022, this was Bourita’s first trip to Italy.