Morocco’s ambassador to Canada, Souriya Otmani, was honored in Ottawa in recognition of the active role of Moroccan diplomacy and the efforts undertaken to consolidate the partnership between Morocco and Canada and mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Otmani was named, for the second time, Canada’s Ambassador of the Year for the North African region.
Established in 2018, this distinction for diplomatic performance is awarded by the Council on Public International Diplomacy in collaboration with Netherlands Diplomat Magazine, the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, and the Dean’s Office of the Ottawa Diplomatic Corps.
On this occasion, Otmani expressed “her joy and privilege” to serve and represent Morocco “in a great and friendly country such as Canada,” noting that this distinction “is the fruit of daily efforts and collective work of all diplomats and members of the Moroccan diaspora.”
The Embassy recalled the cultural, academic, economic, and tourist events organized in 2022 to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Canada.
These events were held in several Canadian provinces in collaboration with the Moroccan Cultural Center in Montreal, the Moroccan consulates general in Montreal and Toronto, Moroccan associations in Canada, and the Kingdom’s honorary consulates in Winnipeg, Fredericton, Vancouver, Saskatoon, and Edmonton.
According to the same source, Morocco was guest of honor at three major Canadian film festivals in 2022, namely Vues d’Afrique in Montreal, the Outaouais Film Festival, and Cinéfranco in Toronto, adding that the celebration of Throne Day with the participation of over 15.000 members of the Moroccan diaspora in Montreal was also one of the highlights of 2022.
The Moroccan Embassy in Canada underlined in a statement that the distinction award, which the Moroccan diplomat is receiving for the second time since 2019, celebrates the performance of the Kingdom’s Diplomatic Mission in Canada between January 1, 2022, and April 2023.
The Moroccan institution added that an independent committee reporting to Diplomate Magazine in The Hague selects the best ambassadors taking into account the nominated ambassadors’ commitment to Canadian civil society, duly documented by photos, publications on social networks, and the printing of newsletters or letters.
The statement also added that the Moroccan diplomat was also awarded, in 2017, the Medal of Merit by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, and the Prague City Hall Award for the best foreign personality contributing to culture.