Morocco Shares Struggle for Development, Progress with Southeast Asia’s Countries – Lower House Speaker

Morocco shares with all the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) the struggle for development and progress, Rachid Talbi Alami, the House of Representatives’ Speaker, said on Monday in Jakarta. “Fraternity and friendship unite us with all the ASEAN countries, with whom we shared the struggle against colonialism, and with whom we share, today, the struggle for development and progress,” underlined Talbi Alami in an address to the 44th Session of the ASEAN Parliamentary Assembly, hosted by the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia on August 5-10, under the theme “Parliament is proactive in adapting for a stable and prosperous ASEAN”. Talbi Alami pointed out that the Kingdom, which enjoys historic relations with these countries, shares the same concerns with them in the fight against the causes of climate change and environmental degradation, particularly pollution of the oceans and seas, with a view to deploying green economy projects at national level and producing energy from renewable sources, noting that these projects are of strategic importance to Morocco and open up wide prospects for balanced partnerships. The Lower House Speaker also welcomed the opening up of new horizons for cooperation with the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which include strategic projects that contribute to food production, underlining that the Kingdom “is carrying out major projects and contributing to the development of African agriculture, thanks to its expertise in this field and the great resources it has at its disposal in terms of phosphates and fertilizers, as well as in the green economy sector and related technologies.” The free trade agreements linking Morocco to major countries and economic blocs, including the United States, a long-standing ally and friend of the Kingdom, “offer great opportunities for access to markets of around one billion consumers,” explained Talbi Alami, also highlighting “the potential offered by some 1,500 agreements between Morocco and sister African countries, 1,000 of which have been signed since the accession of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to the Throne in 1999.” In addition to its strategic location close to Europe and its African and Mediterranean roots,” said Talbi Alami, “Morocco boasts modern infrastructures, notably ports on the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, assets that qualify it to be a center for trade with the rest of the African countries with which it maintains numerous partnerships, as well as with European countries, as it enjoys an advanced status in its relations with the European Union.” “All these achievements are consolidated by the stability and security enjoyed by Morocco, as well as by the economic freedom and laws that provide a framework for investment and offer great guarantees for foreign investment,” added Talbi Alami, noting furthermore Morocco’s central role in promoting peace and coexistence between religions, civilizations and cultures, in which the Monarchy plays the role of strategic and spiritual guarantor. On the sidelines of his participation in this edition, Talbi El Alami held meetings with the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, Puan Maharani, as well as with the Vice-Speaker of the House, Rachmat Gobel, in the presence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Republics of Indonesia and Singapore, Ouadie Benabdellah. The Kingdom’s House of Representatives enjoys “Observer Member” status within AIPA. Validation of membership was announced at the Assembly’s 41st Session, held in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi in September 2020, an unprecedented feat given that the House of Representatives is the only parliament in Africa and the Arab world to enjoy membership of this Asian interparliamentary body. This achievement was made possible thanks to the leading role played by the Kingdom of Morocco as a locomotive of communication and cooperation between the states of Africa and South-East Asia, with a view to strengthening security and stability, and promoting economic and social development and prosperity under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.