Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, held talks on June 21, in Rabat, with Netherlands’ Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, who is on a working visit to Morocco at the head of a large delegation of officials and businessmen, on ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in several fields.
On this occasion, Akhannouch and Rutte praised the ongoing dynamic in bilateral relations between Morocco and the Netherlands, which will contribute to the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two Kingdoms.
During this meeting, the two parties discussed the Morocco-Netherlands joint communiqué adopted in May 2022 in Marrakech, which is a roadmap for bilateral relations that embodies the shared desire to pursue permanent political dialogue at all levels and strengthen cooperation in the economic, social, and cultural fields.
In this regard, Akhannouch praised, on behalf of Morocco, the positive and constructive position of the Netherlands on Morocco’s territorial integrity, which supports the efforts of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s Special Envoy and considers the Moroccan Autonomy Plan presented in 2007 a serious and credible contribution to the UN-led political process.
At the economic level, the Moroccan official and his Dutch counterpart stressed the need to identify new cooperation prospects in fields of common interest, establish a strategic framework for economic cooperation, promote investment, and boost trade.
The Head of Government also highlighted the investment opportunities and incentives generated by the new Investment Charter, Mohammed VI Investment Fund, and the national green hydrogen strategy, which will be adopted soon under the High Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him.
Akhannouch and Rutte also stressed the need to organize a business forum between Moroccan and Dutch economic operators to explore existing investment opportunities in priority sectors, such as renewable energies, water resource management, agriculture, and the fight against the consequences of climate change.
The two parties also discussed tripartite cooperation for the benefit of African countries, to enable Dutch companies interested in investing in Africa to benefit from Moroccan expertise, in recognition of the Kingdom’s privileged status within the continent and the significant presence of the Moroccan public and private sectors in several African countries.
The Head of Government and his Dutch counterpart chaired the closing session of a round table on green hydrogen, a meeting that highlighted the economic and environmental potential of green hydrogen and shed light on Morocco’s continental and international status in developing renewable energies. The event was crowned by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and a partnership agreement.