King Mohammed VI has spoken about the history of the strong collaborative and diplomatic ties between Morocco and the UAE.
Rabat – He spoke in a message to the participants of the symposium “Sheikh Zayed and his role in building relations between the United Arab Emirates and Morocco,” which opened on Tuesday in Rabat.
In his message, the King touted the special bonds uniting the two countries.
The King said that “the two sister nations – the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates – have every reason to celebrate this event.”
The symposium, held at the initiative of the King, aimed to celebrate the “longstanding relationship” founded by King Hassan II and the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The sovereign recalled his father’s pride in the bonds, saying that the two nations “were like twins, separated only by geography.”
The King is also satisfied with the UAE’s royal family and their loyalty towards the bonds “uniting them to my family as well as to the Kingdom of Morocco.”
Speaking about the roles of both late leaders, the Moroccan monarch recalled his father’s commitment and aim to build “the Maghreb Union because it was a strategic choice and a popular demand.”
He added that King Hassan II’s strategy was to “achieve comprehensive development, integration and complementary.”
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The strategy of King Hassan II was reiterated in King Mohammed VI’s speech on November 6 for the Green March anniversary. In his speech, the King expressed concerns about the “division” and lack of cooperation between Maghreb countries due to regional conflicts.
To ensure more unity, the King extended his hand to Algeria with a dialogue offer to normalize diplomatic ties and help unite the Arab Maghreb.
The UAE was among the countries that backed Morocco’s dialogue initiative.
The Gulf country also supports Morocco’s territorial integrity. In May, Morocco’s foreign affairs minister Nasser Bourita met his counterpart Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in Abu Dhabi and said that Morocco and the UAE have unique and strong ties.
The UAE is also Morocco’s second largest trading partner in the Gulf region, and Morocco’s third largest investor.
Emirati investment projects include oil, telecommunications, renewable energy, and phosphates, he said.
An estimated 5,000 Moroccans live in the UAE, half of whom have settled in the country over the last four years as a result of increased employment opportunities in Abu Dhabi, reported Maghreb Arab Press (MAP).
Satisfied with the diplomatic ties, King Mohammed VI concluded his message, saying that Morocco and the UAE will continue their joint action to “promote these exemplary relations in the best way to show loyalty to the special relationship that existed between Sheikh Zayed and Hassan II—may God bless their souls.”
