During a December 7th-9th visit to Rabat, a delegation of senior officials from the MRC member countries and Secretariat headed by Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Anoulak KITTIKHOUN, renewed a 2017 Memorandum of Understunding with their Moroccan counterparts to further enhance the continuous cooperation and exchange of expertise in a range of fields, such as green energy, including solar and wind ; managing integrated water resources ; drought management, water demand and uses ; eco-tourism and conservation projects ; and management of natural disaters.

The working visit was a chance for the MRC delegation to have constructive meetings with relevant Moroccan Departments and Agencies to dovetail a possible roadmap for the implementation of the new MoU which was sealed on Friday December 9th 2022 by Dr. Anoulak KITTIKHOUN and His Excellency Mr. Fouad YAZOURH, Ambassador, Director General of Bilateral Relations and Regional Affairs at the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

‘’This MoU signifies that the Mekong River remains at the centre of the world attention, as we work with partners to benefit our region – politically and economically,’’ said Dr Anoulak Kittikhoun, who led the delegation to Rabat.

Over and above, the Government of Morocco, through the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI), will finance the establishment of an Educational Visitor Centre in Vientiane, ancitipated in 2023-2024. Along with showcasting Mekong cooperation history, opportunities and challenges presented by water resources development and climate change, the Centre may offer educational programmes, drawing on Moroccan experience and expertise in capacity bulding and technical cooperation, which the country is willing to expand sharing with South East Asian countries.

This agreement also symbolizes the latest MRC effort to expand and deepen its partnerships around the world, particularly with one of the world’s fastest growing countries, and a pioneer in Renewable Energy in the African continent like Morocco. Such dialogue has been a priority for the intergovernmental agency – which is comprised of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam – since the MRC’s inception in 1995.

MRC officials and national representatives made their first visit to the Kingdom of Morocco in late 2017. Covid pandemic put a delay in some of the planned collaboration activities.