Morocco and Belgium praised, on April 15 in Rabat, the dynamics of their bilateral relations, reaffirming their shared desire to establish a strategic partnership focused on the future and living up to the expectations of the two countries.
In the Joint Declaration, adopted following the third meeting of the Morocco-Belgium High Joint Partnership Commission, co-chaired by the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, and Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, the two parties expressed their desire to strengthen cooperation in several fields, such as trade and investment, energy transition, water management, infrastructure, migration, countering terrorism and organized crime, culture, and sports.
The two Heads of Government also commended the two countries’ regular political dialogue, as evidenced by the visit to Morocco of the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, on October 20, 2022, at the end of which a Joint Declaration was adopted between Morocco and Belgium.
At the legislative level, Akhannouch and De Croo stressed the importance of parliamentary cooperation through the creation of a joint parliamentary forum for dialogue and exchange.
In terms of cooperation in the economic field, the two parties expressed their willingness to strengthen their partnership, particularly by encouraging Belgian and Moroccan companies to explore the opportunities offered by both sides in terms of investment, recalling the scheduling of a Business Forum on April 16 in Casablanca.
The officials also welcomed the success of the long-standing development cooperation between the two Kingdoms in several areas, and the signing, in February 2024, of the Specific Convention for the 2023-2028 cooperation program, aimed at encouraging the economic inclusion of women and youth in a decent work environment, with a section of the program focusing on the reconstruction phase of Al Haouz region.
Akhannouch and De Croo also shed light on the progress achieved in terms of judicial cooperation, through the permanent exchange of expertise, official visits, and joint commissions, praising the outcome of the last Joint Commission on this subject.
Concerning security, the two parties affirmed their desire to further develop cooperation, notably through the establishment of a regular cooperation structure, welcoming, in this regard, the implementation of the Cooperation Convention in the fight against organized crime and terrorism, which entered into force in 2022, and the 2022-2024 action plan in the field of police cooperation.
Migration is another topic that the two Heads of Government discussed, as they noted the progress achieved in this area, particularly thanks to the holding of the 1st meeting of the Moroccan-Belgian Joint Migration Group and the joint implementation of effective measures.
As for cooperation in the cultural field, Akhannouch and De Croo expressed their commitment to its consolidation, as it constitutes an important lever for mutual understanding and rapprochement between the Moroccan and Belgian communities. This will be accomplished through the exchange of expertise in the protection and conservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, cooperation between museums and institutes specializing in arts and heritage professions, and the organization of cultural and artistic activities in both countries.
Emphasis was also placed on the importance of boosting cooperation between the two countries in sports, particularly women’s sports. On this occasion, Morocco congratulated Belgium for its candidacy, jointly with Germany and the Netherlands, for the organization of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027.