News
Tuesday 7 April 2015

The U.S.-Morocco Strategic Dialogue

Vocal synthesis
USA Reiterate Morocco’s Autonomy Plan Is 'serious, realistic, and credible'

Washington highlights HM the King's leadership in promoting human development and economic prosperity in Africa

The USA applauded on Thursday the leadership shown by HM King Mohammed VI in promoting human development and economic prosperity in Africa.

     The joint statement adopted following the 3rd session of Moroccan-US strategic dialog held in the federal capital under the co-chairmanship of Morocco's minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Salaheddine Mezouar and US secretary of state, John Kerry, notes that "the Secretary (Kerry) highlighted the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in promoting human development and economic prosperity within Africa."

      "The Secretary and the Minister reaffirmed the two countries’ will to work jointly to ensure security and stability and economic growth in Africa through a comprehensive and coordinated approach including food security, access to energy, trade promotion, conflict prevention, and the preservation of cultural and religious identity", the statement goes on. 

    During the session, Mezouar emphasized Morocco’s role and commitment in supporting growth and development in Africa and in providing an avenue for increased trade and investment in Africa, in particular through the enhancement of south-south cooperation, while Kerry reaffirmed the "U.S. interest in coordinating efforts with Morocco on the continent and seizing the opportunities presented for shared prosperity."

    On cooperation in security, the two countries, reiterated the vital importance of border control in any strategy to fight terrorism and reaffirmed the two countries' commitment "to co-lead, within the GCTF (Global Counter-terrorism Forum), the Initiative on Open Border Security. 

     The Minister congratulated the United States for organizing the White House Summit to Counter Violent Extremism in Washington and reaffirmed its readiness to play a leading role in its follow-up process and demonstrating progress on the Summit’s action agenda at the leaders’ summit against violent extremism in New York on the margins of the UNGA. In this regard, the Secretary thanked the Minister for Morocco’s participation in this summit and for Morocco’s leadership in addressing the challenge of Foreign Terrorist Fighters, including through Morocco’s co-chairing the Global Counterterrorism Forum’s Foreign Terrorist Fighters Working Group. The Secretary and the Minister hailed the work done since its creation by the Global Counterterrorism Forum.

     "The Secretary noted the United States’ appreciation for Morocco’s leadership in countering violent extremism and welcomed the creation of Mohammed VI Institute of Training of Imams, Morchidines (male preachers) and Morchidates (female preachers) from Morocco and other African, Arab and European countries", the statement further noted, stressing that they expressed eagerness for "this year’s largest-ever iteration of the multilateral African Lion military exercise in Morocco, a critical event in support of greater regional security cooperation."

    Morocco and the USA also noted robust and growing cooperation to support Morocco’s reform of its justice sector and promoting the rule of law, and welcomed the launch of new law enforcement and counterterrorism programs, including a trilateral initiative with Moroccan and American trainers working together to train other African partners in border security and crisis management.

    Morocco’s role in inter-Libyan political talks, taking place in Skhirat, Morocco, under the auspices of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Libya was welcomed by Washington as "constructive", says the joint statement which points out that the two countries "underlined the vital importance of reaching a political and negotiated solution, which will promote stability and reconciliation in Libya".

 

    On Mali, Rabat and Washington emphasized the need for "a comprehensive solution which could address the root causes of the conflict and ensure a genuine and lasting national reconciliation which engages and is freely agreed to by all the concerned parties."

MAP 10 April 2015

Washington highlights HM the King's leadership in promoting human development and economic prosperity in Africa

   The USA applauded on Thursday the leadership shown by HM King Mohammed VI in promoting human development and economic prosperity in Africa.

     The joint statement adopted following the 3rd session of Moroccan-US strategic dialog held in the federal capital under the co-chairmanship of Morocco's minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Salaheddine Mezouar and US secretary of state, John Kerry, notes that "the Secretary (Kerry) highlighted the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in promoting human development and economic prosperity within Africa."

      "The Secretary and the Minister reaffirmed the two countries’ will to work jointly to ensure security and stability and economic growth in Africa through a comprehensive and coordinated approach including food security, access to energy, trade promotion, conflict prevention, and the preservation of cultural and religious identity", the statement goes on. 

    During the session, Mezouar emphasized Morocco’s role and commitment in supporting growth and development in Africa and in providing an avenue for increased trade and investment in Africa, in particular through the enhancement of south-south cooperation, while Kerry reaffirmed the "U.S. interest in coordinating efforts with Morocco on the continent and seizing the opportunities presented for shared prosperity."

    On cooperation in security, the two countries, reiterated the vital importance of border control in any strategy to fight terrorism and reaffirmed the two countries' commitment "to co-lead, within the GCTF (Global Counter-terrorism Forum), the Initiative on Open Border Security. 

     The Minister congratulated the United States for organizing the White House Summit to Counter Violent Extremism in Washington and reaffirmed its readiness to play a leading role in its follow-up process and demonstrating progress on the Summit’s action agenda at the leaders’ summit against violent extremism in New York on the margins of the UNGA. In this regard, the Secretary thanked the Minister for Morocco’s participation in this summit and for Morocco’s leadership in addressing the challenge of Foreign Terrorist Fighters, including through Morocco’s co-chairing the Global Counterterrorism Forum’s Foreign Terrorist Fighters Working Group. The Secretary and the Minister hailed the work done since its creation by the Global Counterterrorism Forum.

     "The Secretary noted the United States’ appreciation for Morocco’s leadership in countering violent extremism and welcomed the creation of Mohammed VI Institute of Training of Imams, Morchidines (male preachers) and Morchidates (female preachers) from Morocco and other African, Arab and European countries", the statement further noted, stressing that they expressed eagerness for "this year’s largest-ever iteration of the multilateral African Lion military exercise in Morocco, a critical event in support of greater regional security cooperation."

    Morocco and the USA also noted robust and growing cooperation to support Morocco’s reform of its justice sector and promoting the rule of law, and welcomed the launch of new law enforcement and counterterrorism programs, including a trilateral initiative with Moroccan and American trainers working together to train other African partners in border security and crisis management.

    Morocco’s role in inter-Libyan political talks, taking place in Skhirat, Morocco, under the auspices of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Libya was welcomed by Washington as "constructive", says the joint statement which points out that the two countries "underlined the vital importance of reaching a political and negotiated solution, which will promote stability and reconciliation in Libya".

 

    On Mali, Rabat and Washington emphasized the need for "a comprehensive solution which could address the root causes of the conflict and ensure a genuine and lasting national reconciliation which engages and is freely agreed to by all the concerned parties."

MAP 10 April 2015

USA Reiterate Morocco’s Autonomy Plan Is 'serious, realistic, and credible'

The United States on Thursday reiterated that Morocco’s autonomy plan is "serious, realistic, and credible".

The United States’ policy toward the Western Sahara has remained consistent for many years. The United States has made clear that Morocco’s autonomy plan is serious, realistic, and credible, and that it represents a potential approach that could satisfy the aspirations of the people in the Sahara to run their own affairs in peace and dignity, says the joint statement of the third Session of the U.S.-Morocco Strategic Dialogue. 

The Secretary of State John Kerry, who co-chaired this session with his Moroccan peer Salaheddine Mezouar, "reaffirmed the US commitment to a peaceful, sustainable, mutually agreed-upon solution" to the Sahara question, adds the joint statement.

The United States "supports the negotiations carried out by the United Nations, including the work of the UN Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General Ambassador Christopher Ross, and urges the parties to work toward a just, lasting, and mutually agreed political solution".

Kerry and Mezouar affirmed "their shared commitment to the improvement of the lives of the people in the Sahara and discussed appropriate ways to meet that goal".

MAP 10 April 2015