Morocco, Pillar of Stability in the Region – Várhelyi –

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Morocco is a flagship country and a pillar of stability in the region, said Thursday in Rabat, the European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, who stressed 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, said Várhelyi, who was speaking at a press briefing held after his talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita. The European Commissioner, currently on a working visit to the Kingdom, said that the signing this Thursday by Morocco and the EU of five cooperation programs worth a total of 5.5 billion dirhams (nearly 500 million euros) to support major reform projects in the Kingdom, reflects the “direct and serious” commitment from the Union to Morocco. “With all 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 close to European values. Morocco is and will be a major beneficiary of the EU’s project agenda for the entire region, said Várhelyi, adding that this financial support covers social, economic, agricultural, water and energy aspects, the latter being a crucial sector worldwide. The Kingdom has the potential to become a source of energy not only for the region but also for Europe, said Várhelyi, 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. Regarding the resumption of relations with Israel, Várhelyi expressed the EU’s willingness to participate in this cooperation, which will help address the major challenges facing the region, including water management. This trilateral cooperation, he said, will also address the challenges of research, development and rapprochement between peoples. In addition, the European Commissioner took this opportunity to congratulate Morocco for its exit from the “gray” list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), praising the Moroccan-European cooperation that has allowed to achieve this result.