The country’s decision to send medical aid to 15 African states received applause in the international community.
Rabat – Australian ambassador to Morocco Berenice Owen-Jones has emphasized Morocco’s role and leadership in Africa amid the health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The diplomat expressed praise for Morocco’s decision to send medical aid to 15 countries in Africa amid the health crisis due to COVID-19.
“It is a pragmatic approach that takes into account the needs of these African countries and a strong signal of South-South cooperation under the leadership of King Mohammed VI,” she said.
Owen-Jones emphasized the importance of Morocco’s local responsiveness to tackle the pandemic.
She said that Morocco has been a “model” of responsiveness since the outbreak of the crisis, recalling the country’s efforts to overcome repercussions of the crisis.
“The financing of the management fund dedicated to the crisis has been generous and without compromise and the Moroccan government has to come to the aid of poor people, employees, and also people operating in the informal sector.”
In March, King Mohammed VI ordered the creation of the fund which generated more than MAD 33 billion ($3.6 billion).
The diplomat said the crisis enhanced the country’s capacity in the industry “to find pragmatic and innovative solutions.”
She said she was “very impressed” by the textile industries that mobilize efforts in time to manufacture millions of masks per day “not only for Morocco but also for export.”
Owen-Jones also thanked Morocco’s medical professionals who “sacrificed themselves for the common good.”
She said that “we must all be vigilant and determined” in the face of the pandemic, which is still spreading in Morocco and elsewhere.
The diplomat’s interview with Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) also touched on cooperation between Morocco and Australia to stem the spread of the virus.
She said that Moroccan and Australian foreign ministers raised the topic during several telephone conversations.
Owen-Jones emphasized that her country made “major advances” in the fight against the pandemic in preparation of a vaccine and to understand the biological mechanism of the virus.
“Morocco and Australia could exchange expertise in the area,” the Australian ambassador said.
She said that the government in Australia recognizes Morocco’s importance as a regional hub between Europe and Africa, noting its leadership on the African continent.
“This is why we opened an embassy in 2017.”
Owen-Jones also spoke about the importance of Morocco’s political and economic stability and its strategy to modernize infrastructures.
“I have seen for myself great changes in Morocco; I saw and had the pleasure of visiting world-class infrastructures,” the diplomat said, referencing the county’s high-speed train, the Tanger-Med port, and the solar power plant in Ouarzazate.
