Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates Mr. Nasser Bourita received Monday in Rabat Advisor to President of the Republic of Romania Dacian Cioloș, bearer of a message addressed to His Majesty King Mohammed VI from Romanian President Nicușor Dan.
In a statement to the press following the meeting, Dacian Cioloș affirmed that the Kingdom of Morocco is Romania’s main partner in the MENA region, praising excellent cooperative and partnership ties “on an equal footing” between the two countries for several decades in the diplomatic, economic, and educational spheres.
A candidate for the position of Secretary General of the International Organization of Francophonie (OIF), Cioloș highlighted Morocco’s key role for Francophonie, given its close ties with French-speaking countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
In this regard, he called for a Francophonie adapted to the changes in the contemporary world and better aligned with the expectations of young people, emphasizing French’s importance as a language of opportunity that promotes access to employment, entrepreneurship, and bolstering regional and international cooperation among French-speaking countries.
Linguistic proximity and a shared attachment to the French language have greatly contributed to closer ties between the two countries, Cioloș noted, recalling that Romania is one of the most Francophone countries in Eastern Europe.
Concerning educational cooperation, Cioloș said that over 1,200 Moroccan students are currently pursuing their studies in Romania, highlighting the significant contribution of this educational exchange to boosting relations between the two countries.
On the economic front, Cioloș pointed to “very significant” potential for cooperation, particularly in the automotive and construction sectors, where several Romanian companies have made investments in Morocco.