Spain Commends Morocco’s Progress, Modernity Momentum Under HM the King’s Enlightened Leadership – Joint Statement –

Spain commended, Thursday in Rabat, the momentum of openness, progress and modernity that Morocco is experiencing, under the enlightened and active leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. This dynamic is marked in particular by the New Development Model, the Advanced Regionalization, the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (SNDD), as well as by the new social solidarity project, among others, underlines the Joint Statement issued at the end of the 12th session of the Morocco-Spain High Level Meeting held, under the joint chairmanship of the Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and the President of the Spanish Government Pedro Sanchez. Moreover, Spain considers that Morocco is a credible regional and international player whose voice is heard and which plays a decisive role for stability, peace and development in the Mediterranean and Atlantic regions, in the Sahel-Saharan area and in Africa. For its part, Morocco hails Spain’s multidimensional international projection and its numerous contributions to stability, peace and sustainable development at the regional and international levels. In the Euro-Mediterranean dimension, both parties recognize the central role of the Union for the Mediterranean as the only organization that includes all the countries of the region on an equal footing, and which aims to promote all aspects of the Barcelona Process in a harmonious manner, based on its organizational structure and a growing budget. In this regard, Spain and Morocco call on all countries in the region to actively contribute to the Euro-Mediterranean process, including through their contributions to the budget of the Union for the Mediterranean. Furthermore, both countries will continue to work closely together to develop cooperation between the Council of Europe and Morocco, with the central goal of bringing Moroccan standards closer to European ones in all areas. On the other hand, Spain reiterates its full support and active endorsement of Morocco’s successful national program with the OECD, which positions Morocco at the forefront of cooperation with the Organization, through adherence to its legal instruments and participation in its committees, in support of national economic policies that promote sustainable development. Both countries stress the importance of promoting cooperation between the two shores of the Mediterranean and reiterate their commitment to continue building a common area of peace, prosperity and integration. Morocco and Spain also welcome their cooperation in the Western Mediterranean “5+5” dialogue and reaffirm their commitment to the work of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners Cooperation Group, which brings together 63 countries from three continents around a comprehensive concept of security.