The European Commission has adopted new cooperation programmes worth €389 million to support reforms, inclusive development and border management in Morocco, according to a press release by the European Commission.
“Morocco has long been a privileged partner of the European Union with which we share our borders and aspirations,” said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, Josep Borrell.
In the statement the Commission said that Morocco has taken “important steps in modernisation and has made rapprochement with Europe a strategic choice”.
“Faced with common challenges, the time has come to give new impetus to our relations with deeper and more diversified cooperation, including towards Africa, so as to connect our futures and bring our peoples closer together,” the statement added.
The European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, noted that “Morocco plays a crucial role as a partner of the European Union”, adding that “together, we will contribute to the sustainable and inclusive growth of Morocco, we will fight against the networks of smugglers who endanger the lives of vulnerable people and improve the protection of the victims of these criminal networks ”.
The new programs adopted include 289 million euros financed by the bilateral cooperation fund to support reforms and inclusive development in Morocco.
Added to this is the signing of a financing agreement with Morocco for a budget support program of 101.7 million euros in support of border management. This program was adopted last week as part of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa
A common political declaration was adopted at the last EU-Morocco Association Council in June 2019. The definition of new strategic priorities for the EU-Morocco partnership is planned for 2020 – reports the EC press release.
