Joint Statement: Morocco and Netherlands Ink Action Plan to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation
This Action Plan comes in the context of post-pandemic recovery. The two countries have emphasized the importance of strengthening the political dialogue to include all areas related to bilateral relations and define new innovative areas of cooperation to consolidate their partnership.
This Action Plan aims, in particular, to: (i) consolidate the commitment of the two countries to strengthen their bilateral relations, (ii) affirm respect for the sovereignty and institutions of each country and (iii) highlight the partnership rules based on respect of mutual interests of both countries.
Both sides agreed to ensure transparency in bilateral funding and to maintain an ongoing dialogue to facilitate regular information-sharing before NGO funding while respecting each country's legal framework.
The main objective is to consolidate relations between both countries on sound and solid ground, in line with their ambitions and the great potential at the bilateral level and within the framework of Morocco-Netherlands-EU cooperation as well as triangular cooperation in the benefit of Africa.
The Action Plan includes the following:
•At the political level, the two parties express their commitment to progress, in the framework of solid cooperation and in a spirit of friendship, respect and consideration of their common interests, both in the bilateral and multilateral fora.
•The two parties agreed to continue their coordination to further strengthen the Strategic Partnership between Morocco and the European Union, in particular within the framework of the implementation of the EU-Morocco Joint Declaration of June 2019.
•The two sides agreed to continue their security, justice and police cooperation.
•At the economic level, the two parties agreed to initiate discussion on ways to establish an innovative mechanism of strategic discussions around economic and trade cooperation to encourage investment and trade between the two countries.
•Regarding the fight against climate change, the two sides agreed to encourage cooperation in the fields of agriculture, water (including the reuse of wastewater) and sustainable energy.
•In the field of migration, the two parties agreed to strengthen their cooperation, in particular through the establishment of a joint cooperation committee.
•The two parties are working to bring together the Moroccan community established in the Netherlands and the Dutch community established in Morocco in favor of strengthening cultural cooperation.
•At the cultural level, the two parties agreed to reinforce academic cooperation, in particular through study visits and teaching programs.