Youssef Amrani advocates for stronger Morocco-US partnership at Harvard conference

Speaking at the "Arab Conference at Harvard" in Boston, Youssef Amrani emphasized the enduring strength of the nearly 250-year partnership between Rabat and Washington. He stated that the focus is now on shared ambition, particularly in critical minerals, clean energy, security architecture, and Atlantic connectivity. Amrani, a Moroccan diplomat, highlighted that the foundations are laid for this bilateral relationship, which he believes has no ceiling for ambition and is poised to play a structuring role in future regional and Atlantic balances. He reminded the audience that Morocco was the first country to recognize US independence in 1777, and the treaty of friendship between the two nations remains one of the oldest and uninterrupted diplomatic agreements globally. Amrani also cited the African Lion exercise, the largest annual military exercise on the African continent, as an example of the exceptional cooperation in security, defense, and regional stability. He attributed Morocco's stability, economic transformation, diplomatic influence, and deepening alliances to a long-term Royal Vision. He described Morocco as a strategic platform integrated into global value chains, especially in high-tech industrial sectors like aeronautics, automotive, and green energy. Regarding the Moroccan Sahara, Amrani noted the US recognition in December 2020 of Morocco's full sovereignty over its southern provinces, which he said marked a major turning point and affirmed the autonomy plan