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Rabat – US Ambassador to Morocco David Fischer expressed satisfaction over increasingly strong cooperation between Rabat and Washington as he announced a USAID funding package.
In a recent interview with the Washington Times, Fisher described the relationship between Morocco and the US as the “strongest it has ever been.”
During his conversation with the US news outlet, Fischer said that USAID is planning to invest $100 million in Morocco over the next five years.
The investment will be in close collaboration with Morocco’s government and will aim to enhance economic growth and education.
The American ambassador said Morocco is the largest beneficiary of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) funds to date.
The MCC and Morocco are implementing a $450 million program to address major challenges, including employability and land productivity.
Morocco’s government has reiterated on several occasions that improving employment is among its priorities.
King Mohammed VI called on the government to address challenges linked to a lack of employment opportunities in a speech earlier in October, urging measures to boost investment.
The monarch also called to advance the development of agricultural production and facilitate the integration of professionals in rural areas, in line with the new farming strategy.
“Putting one million hectares of communal agricultural land at the disposal of investors and rights holders is a key element of that strategy,” the King said.
He added that the total investment for the project over the medium term is estimated at approximately MAD 38 billion ($4.1 billion).
Read also: Full Text of King Mohammed VI’s Speech at Opening of Parliament
Also among Morocco’s priorities is, of course, the fight against COVID-19. The North African country recorded 207,718 cases as of October 28, including 3,506 deaths and 171,591 recoveries.
The number of active cases stood at 32,621 the same day.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Morocco’s government implemented a series of stringent measures to combat COVID-19 throughout its territory. The country also negotiated with international partners to purchase COVID-19 vaccines, including companies in China.
In terms of cooperation between governments, Morocco is working with the US, among several other partners, to combat the pandemic.
David Fischer said that the US partnered with Morocco to invest more than $10 million in the country’s COVID-19 response.
“This assistance has helped prepare laboratory systems, improve Covid-19 case detection and surveillance, and support technical experts among other areas.”
Read also: USAID’s Recent Roles in Morocco’s COVID-19 Response
The US and Morocco maintain strong diplomatic relations and vow to continue to boost cooperation in all fields.
The two countries signed a Free Trade Agreement on June 15, 2004, which entered into force in January 2006.
The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said the FTA between the US and Morocco is a “comprehensive agreement that supports the significant economic and political reforms that are underway in Morocco.”
The office’s statistics distinguish Morocco as the 55th largest export market for US goods.
“Goods trade surplus with Morocco increased to $1.8 million in 2011, up from $79 million in 2005 (the year prior to entry into force),” the data shows.
Meanwhile, US exports to Morocco in 2011 were $2.8 billion, up 45% from the previous year, while corresponding US imports from Morocco were $996 million, also up 45%.
