Washington Times
By Marios Tsokkos and the Mercury Global Reports team
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
“The relationship between the United States and Morocco is the strongest it has ever been, and we are making it stronger every day” said Mr. David Fischer, the United States’ Ambassador to Morocco. The close relationship between the two countries extends at all levels from economic to social and cultural. USAID and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) have an instrumental role in the country’s development as well. “USAID is planning to invest $100 million over the next five years in close collaboration with the Government of Morocco to support participatory local governance, enhanced economic growth, improved education outcomes, and community resilience” explained Fischer. “In addition, Morocco is the largest beneficiary of MCC funds to date. MCC and the Moroccan government are currently partnering to implement a $450 million compact to address two major constraints to economic growth in Morocco – employability and land productivity – which are also key concerns and priorities of Moroccan citizens” he added.
The United States government has partnered with the Kingdom of Morocco to invest more than $10 million in Morocco‘s Covid-19 response. “This assistance has helped prepare laboratory systems, improve Covid-19 case detection and surveillance, and support technical experts, among other areas” Fischer said.
While the government-to-government connections are important, Fischer believes it is the vitality of the people-to-people connections that sustain this enduring partnership. In 2021, “we look forward to a year-long cultural exchange program centered on celebrating the two-hundred-year anniversary of the American Legation in Tangier.”
