Morocco is a flagship country and a pillar of stability in the region, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, said Thursday in Rabat, stressing the “extreme importance” of the Morocco-EU partnership.

In a global context marked by multiple challenges, it is not easy to find stable partners like Morocco, hence the “extreme importance” of the Morocco-EU partnership, stressed Várhelyi, who spoke at a press briefing held after his talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans living abroad, Nasser Bourita.

With all of our commitments, we are really changing the nature and depth of our cooperation,” he said, adding that the reforms launched in Morocco are ambitious reforms that are close to European values.

Morocco is and will be a major beneficiary of the EU’s project agenda for the entire region, Várhelyi stressed, adding that this financial support covers social, economic, agricultural, water and energy aspects, the latter being a crucial sector on a global scale.

The Kingdom has the potential to become a source of energy not only for the region but also for Europe, adding that the European market is ready to receive energy from Morocco.

He also stressed the importance of other areas of cooperation between the Kingdom and the EU, including migration and the fight against criminal networks.

On the resumption of relations with Israel, Várhelyi expressed the EU’s willingness to participate in this cooperation, which will help to address the major challenges facing the region, including water management.

This trilateral cooperation, he said, would also make it possible to meet the challenges of research, development and rapprochement between peoples.

The European Commissioner also took the opportunity to congratulate Morocco on its release from the “grey” list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), praising the Moroccan-European cooperation that made this result possible.

Second visit of its kind in less than a year, Várhelyi’s visit to Morocco comes in the context of the implementation of the Joint Political Declaration, adopted in June 2019, having instituted the “Euro-Moroccan Partnership of Shared Prosperity” which is articulated around four Spaces: political and security; Economic; values; knowledge, and two horizontal axes: the Environment and migration.

It is also part of the regular contacts between the two parties. These contacts are illustrated by the recent visit to Morocco of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, in January 2023, as well as the previous visits of six other members of the College of Commissioners for the year 2022 alone, including the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen.

The European Commissioner, who is currently on a working visit to the Kingdom, said that the signing this Thursday by Morocco and the EU of five cooperation programmes worth a total of 5.5 billion dirhams (nearly 500 million euros) to support the Kingdom’s major reform projects, testifies to the Union’s “direct and serious” commitment to Morocco.

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Nassser Bourita, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, received yesterday Tuesday 1^st, Oliver Varhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement part of the EU – Morocco Partnership Program.

Bourita described this visit as part of elaborating a new European Neighborhood Policy. He also considers it an occasion to reiterate Morocco’s appreciation of the UE approach of cooperation and sharing.

He also added that Morocco considers the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) not only through the financial light but also as a true partnership with optimal implication of neighboring countries to take part in decision-making.

Morocco as part of the European Neighborhood Policy has expressed its will to preserve the four common spaces that unite Morocco and EU. A space of common values. A space of dialogue and security. An economic and social space and a space of education and knowledge.

Bourita expressed that this Partnership revolves around transversal axes including the digital, migration and green economy. He considers these axes of vital importance and should be empowered through concrete actions.

On his part, Oliver Varhelyi expressed his delight for being in Rabat to meet his key partner after having worked closely during the Covid-19 Pandemic in order to reach concrete results.

He also added that this meeting aims to plan for post-Covid and to work for reestablishing the economy after the pandemic with a renewed partnership capable of influencing the economic and social reality of the coming years.

Oliver Verhelyi acknowledged that Morocco’s figures during the pandemic were exemplary and applauded its performance. He also expressed his intention to strengthen the economy and attract more investments.

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