UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has reaffirmed her country’s firm support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for the Sahara, saying it is “the most credible, viable & pragmatic basis for peace”.
The supportive stand comes in a comment posted by Ms. Cooper on her X account following talks held Thursday in London with Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita.
The meeting coincides with UN Security Council debate on the Sahara and strategic review of the MINURSO in line with the Council’s resolution 2797 endorsing the Autonomy plan in the Sahara under the Kingdom’s sovereignty.
Morocco-UK partnership delivers for both countries ahead of World Cup 2030, said the Foreign Secretary, making reference to the huge joint business opportunities offered by the global football tournament in boosting partnership between the two countries.
The two ministers also discussed latest developments on the regional & international scene, including maritime security in strategic trade corridors. They stressed the importance of restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and strengthening regional stability in the current global geostrategic challenges.
Prior his talks with Ms. Cooper, the Moroccan FM conferred with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy . “The UK and Morocco have a historic and valuable partnership – one of the world’s oldest diplomatic relationships” said Mr. Lammy on his X account.
“A year on from signing our Strategic Partnership we continue to collaborate on growth and security”, underlined the British Deputy PM.
Morocco and the UK are bound by one of the world’s oldest diplomatic relationships, dating back over 800 years. From the first recorded contact between both Crowns, in the early 13th century, to present day exchanges, the longstanding and enduring ties between Moroccan and British Sovereigns have formed the bedrock of this unique alliance.
The privileged ties between both Kingdoms rest on a solid foundation of shared values and converging interests. From the Treaty of Peace and Commerce, signed over 300 years ago, to the UK-Morocco Association Agreement, which passed into effect in 2021, trade and economic cooperation continue to grow from strength to strength.
People-to-people connections and flourishing cross-cultural exchanges nurture the bonds of friendship and mutual respect that ensure the resilience and growth of this relationship.
Building upon this exceptional shared history and its many bilateral achievements, Morocco and the UK have ushered in a new era of comprehensive strategic partnership strengthening collaboration across all dimensions: political, diplomatic, security, economic, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.