Marrakech – Moroccan Ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, and USAID Administrator Samantha Power met in Washington on Tuesday to discuss the future of cooperation between Morocco and USAID.
The meeting resulted in a new roadmap aimed at accelerating the structural partnership between the two sides of the Atlantic, focusing on shared interests, visions, and priorities.
The talks highlighted USAID’s role in supporting Morocco’s strategic engagements as a link and hub of prosperity in Africa and beyond.
Both parties acknowledged the exceptional nature of the 67-year relationship between USAID and Morocco, with Amrani emphasizing the crucial role of USAID programs in transferring know-how and expertise, particularly in education, inclusive development, and women’s empowerment.
Amrani outlined Morocco’s public policies designed to catalyze and deepen development in various strategic sectors. He noted that these strategies stem from a vision promoted by King Mohammed VI, placing human development at the core of all considerations.
The ambassador also highlighted the regional dimension of Morocco’s efforts, mentioning the King’s Atlantic Initiative as an example of the country’s diplomatic approach in the region.
“Morocco promotes coherent regional integrations, effective cooperation models, and sincere solidarity with its partners to create an expanded context of regional peace and security,” Amrani stated.
Power expressed optimism about the potential for excellence in cooperation with Morocco, recalling her successful visit to the North African country in May.
She emphasized the importance of climate issues in USAID’s programs in Morocco and commended the country’s leadership in this area, particularly its progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
USAID plans to collaborate with Morocco on developing sustainable strategies in renewable energy, water resource management, and sustainable agriculture.
Power described the partnership as “promising,” noting that USAID and Morocco will continue to work together to strengthen the resilience of production models, especially in agriculture and sustainable development.
The USAID administrator suggested that this collaboration could serve as a model for other countries facing similar challenges. She emphasized that the interaction with Morocco has the potential to become a model of successful cooperation.
Future collaboration between USAID and Morocco is expected to focus on strengthening and promoting human capital, combating climate change, empowering women, and developing sustainable agriculture. Additionally, Morocco represents an important regional partner for USAID, particularly concerning cooperation priorities in Africa and the region.
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