United States: Relations with Morocco are stronger than ever
The Foreign Ministers of Morocco, Israel and the United States are expected to hold a virtual meeting on December 22 to mark the first anniversary of the return of relations between Rabat and Tel Aviv under the mediation of the United States.
- Opening of Liaison Offices Officially in Tel Aviv and Rabat in the Coming Period
- Discussions between Moroccan and Gulf to reinforce strategic partnership
On December 22, 2020, Morocco, Israel and the United States signed in the capital Rabat a tripartite agreement that serves as a roadmap for cooperation between the three countries, following the return of relations between Rabat and Tel Aviv and Washington’s recognition of the Moroccan nature of the Sahara.
“Under Donald Trump, the U.S. administration began the process of establishing a U.S. consulate in the Moroccan city of Dakhla, but the project stalled with President Joe Biden, who has yet to announce its completion”.
Jerome Sherman, spokesman for the US embassy in Morocco, said that “last year was one of the milestones in the history of the relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Morocco, which has become stronger than ever”.
The US embassy spokesman said that his country is “determined to find a lasting, just and internationally-supported solution to the Sahara conflict”, stressing that “Washington views the Moroccan autonomy proposal as serious, credible and realistic, and a single possible approach to meet the aspirations of the Sahara population”.
The US official stressed that “the United States welcomes the appointment of Staffan de Mistura as the personal envoy of the UN secretary-general, and will support his efforts to resolve this conflict”.
“The past year was marked by the resumption of relations between Washington’s two allies, Morocco and Israel”, the source said, adding that “normalization has revived and deepened historical relations and brought tangible benefits to the two peoples”, adding that “strengthening this relationship will create new opportunities for peace and prosperity in the region”.
“Both Moroccans and Israelis are benefiting today from increased business and tourism activity”, Sherman said. “In addition, cultural programs and academic exchanges are working to end old divisions and promote a culture of tolerance across the region”.
The United States supports the progress made in Moroccan–Israeli relations and looks forward to seeing the liaison offices be transformed into embassies in the near future, said the official spokesman of the Washington embassy in Rabat.
The US Embassy congratulated Morocco and Israel on this historic anniversary and also praised the leadership of King Mohammed VI in “promoting religious tolerance and harmony”, adding “He is an example for the region and the world”.
On the Moroccan-US relations, the embassy said that the two countries are celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Morocco, noting that Morocco “is the only country in the African continent that has a free trade agreement with the United States, which has created thousands of jobs and increased five times the value of trade in goods – to more than $5 billion a year”.
“Morocco is a critical partner for United States on a range of security issues, participating with us in more than 100 military exercises and events each year, and is a key partner in both international military education and training programs and foreign military sales programs”, the US embassy spokesperson said.
