Nasser Bourita: The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership Must Become a True Strategic Alliance
Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, called on Monday in Brussels for an ambitious relaunch of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, stressing the need to transform it into a genuine strategic alliance rather than a mere geographic neighborhood framework.
“The real neighborhood is the one we shape together, based on a shared vision and common values,” said Bourita in an address during the 5th European Union–Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting. He emphasized that the Mediterranean should not be seen merely as a zone of proximity, but rather as a space for co-construction.
The minister welcomed the ongoing development of the “Pact for the Mediterranean,” a new approach aimed at strengthening cooperation between the EU and the countries of the Southern Mediterranean. “This Pact is a unique opportunity to move from a logic of proximity to one of alliance,” he stated, calling for the fulfillment of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership’s potential.
“Why does Euromed remain a peripheral actor in its own space? Why are shared challenges like security, mobility, and crises not being tackled together?” Bourita asked. These questions, he said, point to the urgent need for a clear and strategic vision.
He structured his remarks around the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has said that “The Mediterranean is not just a geographic space, but a historical responsibility.” Bourita therefore called for a “geopolitical Euro-Mediterranean space” capable of delivering real responses to the needs of both shores.
To make this happen, Bourita stressed the importance of a policy of aggregation that combines financial instruments, structural partnerships, and differentiated approaches. He also called for more inclusive governance, based on “majorities of commitment” instead of unanimity, in order to avoid blockages. In addition, he emphasized the need for shared leadership, in which the South plays an active role in co-decision-making.
Reaffirming Morocco’s engagement, the minister announced that a “High-Level Retreat on the Future of the Partnership” will soon be held in Morocco. The goal of this event is to produce concrete proposals that can build on the momentum of the Pact for the Mediterranean and mark the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process.
“The Pact for the Mediterranean is an opportunity to create, together, a lever for stability, prosperity, and closer ties among peoples,” Bourita concluded.
Editorial team/le7tv
