Malaysia’s Ambassador: ASEAN Looks to Strengthen Cooperation with Morocco

Rabat – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) looks forward to Morocco becoming more active in the ASEAN region, said on Tuesday Malaysia’s Ambassador to Morocco, Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event celebrating the 56th anniversary of founding ASEAN, Abdul Aziz told Morocco World News: “We are very encouraged that Morocco wants to have a relationship with ASEAN, and in fact, Morocco has made a lot of progress.”

Embassy staff preparing to raise ASEAN flag

She added that “ASEAN is more than happy to share our know-how and knowledge and bring Morocco into a relationship with ASEAN as well.” In recent years, Morocco and ASEAN have experienced a growing rapprochement in relations that culminated in Morocco becoming a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in July 2023.

“I’m very happy to note that Morocco has expressed interest to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN. And ASEAN views this very, very positively,” the Malaysian Diplomat said.

Morocco formally joined the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in September 2016.

Photo taking at the 56th anniversary of founding ASEAN

Noting the positive momentum in Morocco’s relationship with ASEAN, Indonesia’s Ambassador to Morocco, Hasrul Azwar, said the Asian association is focused this year on strengthening ties with Morocco.

“This year, Morocco became a dialogue partner for ASEAN; so in the future, the relationship in politics, education, economics, and culture between ASEAN and Morocco will be strong,” he explained.

Morocco and ASEAN

In a statement to the press, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Morocco, Thi Thu Ha, stressed that relations between Morocco and ASEAN are now “closer than ever,” especially following the creation of the ASEAN Committee in Rabat in 2015.

After joining the Association’s Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in 2016, Morocco was also proclaimed as an observer member of the Association’s Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in 2020 and became an associate member of the Association of ASEAN Ministers of Education in 2021.

Thi Thu Ha further expressed her belief that this partnership will contribute to strengthening the multifaceted cooperation between the two parties, given the central role of ASEAN in Southeast Asia and the strategic geographical position of Morocco as a gateway to Africa.

“The status of Sector Dialogue Partner with ASEAN also illustrates the far-sighted vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in favor of strengthening relations between Morocco and the Association,” added the diplomat, noting that this event is the opportunity to highlight the major achievements of this political, economic, and cultural organization founded in 1967.