On the occasion of the meeting between His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Barack Obama, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted “Advancing the New US-Morocco Strategic Partnership Event,” a discussion with His Excellency Salaheddine Mezouar, minister of foreign affairs and cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco, and other members of the Royal Delegation.
After a welcome by Atlantic Council President and CEO Fred Kempe, the Honorable Stuart Eizenstat, former deputy secretary of the treasury and Atlantic Council executive committee member, offered introductory remarks on US-Moroccan relations. Then, in his keynote address, Minister Mezouar discussed the importance of growing a strategic partnership between Morocco and the United States given the kingdom’s burgeoning political, security, and economic role in Africa, as well as previewed the King’s meeting with President Obama on November 22.
The foreign minister’s presentation was followed by brief remarks by Nizar Baraka, president of the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council; Miriem Bensalah Chaqroun, president of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises; Mohamed Salah Tamek, wali and chief of staff of the Minister of Interior; Ahmed Abbadi, secretary-general of the Muhammadan League of Scholars; and Assia Bensalah Alaoui, ambassador-at-large. Other senior members of the Royal Delegation were also present at the event and took part in the discussion moderated by Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham.
Press Coverage
- “In Middle East mess, Morocco tries to catch Obama’s eye,” USA Today
- “A Washington, la Délégation Marocaine Propose un “Nouveau Partenariat Maroc-Etats-Unis” (In Washington, the Moroccan Delegation Proposed a “New Partnership between Morocco and the United States”), Medias24
- “Nouveau coup de pouce au partenariat stratégique entre Rabat et Washington” (“New boost to the strategic partnership between Rabat and Washington”), Libération (Casablanca)