Moroccan FM Confident About Positive Prospects of Morocco-EU Partnership
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas calls for ‘doing more together’ with Morocco
Morocco–EU talks focus on Ukraine, Middle East, Sahel, and Gaza
Brussels – 30 January 2026 (MT Team) : Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, expressed, on Thursday in Brussels, confidence in the positive and promising prospects of the partnership between Morocco and the European Union (EU).
This meeting is of particular importance on both the symbolic and political and economic levels, the minister stressed, noting that it comes as the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Morocco-EU Association Agreement approaches, marking three decades of a solid and diversified institutional partnership in which Morocco has always been at the forefront of the EU’s relations with its Mediterranean neighborhood.
Bourita also highlighted the political dimension of this session, which is being held in an international context marked by uncertainty and conflict. Under the enlightened leadership of King Mohammed VI, Morocco positions itself as a stable partner, offering visibility to its partners, and standing out for its clear-eyed and precise reading of regional and international issues, he underlined.
The minister recalled that the Kingdom has always been a partner that is both demanding in expressing its expectations and loyal in honoring its commitments, an approach that will continue to guide its relations with the EU.
On the economic front, Bourita noted that Morocco remains the EU’s leading trading partner south of the Mediterranean and in Africa, considering that this partnership can serve as a source of inspiration for the future of relations between the EU and its southern neighborhood.
The holding of this Association Council thus builds on an already solid foundation while carrying renewed ambition for the future of Morocco-EU relations, he said, noting that the broad participation of EU Member States, including at ministerial level, attests to Morocco’s standing within the Euro-Mediterranean partnership and its ability to contribute effectively to addressing regional and global challenges.
EU Seeks to Strengthen Partnership with Morocco in Light of Common Challenges:
The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, stated that the EU is keen to strengthen its partnership with Morocco in light of common regional and international challenges.
The Vice-President of the European Commission made the statement to the press shortly before the opening of the 15th session of the Morocco–EU Association Council.
This meeting aims above all to “do more together,” Kallas said, highlighting in particular cooperation in the fields of migration and security, as well as the very significant role Morocco has played within the UN Human Rights Council.
The EU’s top diplomat indicated that discussions will cover several international issues, notably the situation in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Sahel.
In this regard, Kallas stressed the importance of strengthening dialogue and cooperation at the international level, while underscoring “Morocco’s unique experience in combating terrorism and radicalization.”
Gaza, she said, is “a priority,” thanking Morocco for having hosted a meeting of the Global Alliance, described as “the strongest international forum” in support of the two-State solution.
She also announced that the EU has adopted a new common position on the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, following the UN Security Council resolution.
“Morocco is already an important partner for the EU. After 30 years of an association agreement, it is time to do much more together,” she concluded.
EU Lauds Role of HM the King, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, Highlights the Royal Initiative for the Atlantic:
The EU explicitly expressed its “support for the work of the Al-Quds Committee, chaired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in favor of lasting peace and stability in the Middle East”, thus highlighting the King’s recognized role as a Defender of peace and a trusted actor in the search for a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-State solution.
The joint Communiqué issued at the end of the 15th session of the Morocco-EU Association Council also welcomed “the constructive and visionary role played by Morocco in regional cooperation initiatives”, with discussions between the two parties focusing on major developments in common neighboring countries, with particular emphasis on the Initiative for Atlantic African States. Launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in 2022, this major geostrategic Initiative brings together the 23 African countries bordering the Atlantic and aims to structure the African Atlantic zone into an area of dialogue and cooperation to promote stability and co-development, as well as better integration of the region’s economies.
The Morocco-EU political dialogue, which took place during this session of the Association Council, illustrated the relevance of His Majesty the King’s strategic vision and Morocco’s role as a provider of peace, stability, and co-constructed development in its regional areas.
In addition to the co-chairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, the 15th session of the Association Council was attended by Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica, and several European foreign ministers, from Spain, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Malta, as well as senior representatives from all EU member States.
