The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, José Manuel García-Margallo, held a meeting with the recently appointed Minister Delegate of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco, Youssef Amrani, at the Palacio de Viana this afternoon. In their first meeting together, both ministers took the opportunity to review the main themes on the bilateral and international agenda, with particular emphasis on regional issues.
José Manuel García-Margallo congratulated the Minister-Delegate on his recent appointment and asked about the new political era beginning in Morocco following the general elections of 25 November. The Minister indicated that the Spanish Government is following the process of constitutional reform started by HM King Mohammed VI with interest and expressed his desire to further strengthen a bilateral relationship that is already very close. The subject of the pending 10th High Level Meeting between the two countries was also addressed in this context.
The ministers took the opportunity to discuss the situation of Spanish companies in Morocco and the potential to expand economic cooperation, especially in the energy and communications sectors in which there are already various projects under way. Spain is Morocco’s second largest trade and investment partner, with a broad presence in the industrial, agricultural, real estate, tourism and banking sectors.
In relation to regional issues, José Manuel García-Margallo acknowledged the work done by the Kingdom of Morocco in launching initiatives in the Mediterranean, particularly through the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in which Mr Amrani had been Secretary General until his recent appointment. The Minister-Delegate took the opportunity to officially resign from his previous post and Mr García-Margallo congratulated him on his outstanding work as head of the UfM.
Both ministers agreed on the need to continue strengthening EU-Morocco relations with the forthcoming approval of a new Action Plan. José Manuel García-Margallo stated that all the parties must make an effort to seek imaginative solutions to current problems since good relations between the EU and Morocco will benefit both countries. Spain actively supported the approval of the Advanced Statute between the EU and Morocco in 2008, as well as hosting the first EU-Morocco Summit (in Granada) in March 2010 during its presidency of the EU, which was the only such summit held with a Southern neighbour so far.
Finally, the ministers also addressed topical international subjects, with special emphasis on the political transition processes in other countries of the region.
