H.E. Azzeddine Farhane, Ambassador of Morocco to Austria, speaks about the recent highlights of Austrian-Moroccan relations, his country’s pioneering role in sustainable development and the anticipated migration deal with the EU.
Since 2019, you are Ambassador of His Majesty the King of Morocco to Austria. How did the relations between Morocco and Austria evolve during the last few years? What were the highlights of your term here so far?
Since assuming office, I have worked closely with the Austrian authorities to foster the historical ties between Morocco and Austria at the executive, legislative and judicial level, within the context of the celebration of the 240th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries.
Indeed, the visit of the Austrian Chancellor, H.E. Karl Nehammer, to Morocco at the invitation of H.E. Aziz Akhannouch, Head of the Government of Morocco, in February 2023 was a significant milestone for our bilateral relations. This historical visit culminated in the adoption of a joint declaration reaffirming the shared willingness to upgrade the bilateral cooperation, and to establish a strategic dialogue at the level of Foreign Ministers.
It is worth mentioning that this visit took place exactly 240 years after Mohammed Ben Abdelmalek presented his Letters of Credence as Ambassador of Sultan Moulay Mohammed ben Abdellah to the Emperor Joseph II on February 28th, 1783.
Not even a month later, Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the Austrian National Council – at the invitation of Talbi El Alami, Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives – visited Morocco and a MoU aiming at giving a new impetus to the parliamentary cooperation and reinforcing dialogue, consultation, and coordination of issues of mutual interest, was signed.
These important events were preceded by the official visit of H.E. Elisabeth Lovrek, President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Austria, in March 2022, where a cooperation agreement with H.E M’hammed Abdenabaoui, President of the Supreme Council of the Judicial power of Morocco, was signed.
During the last five years, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Morocco and Austria maintained regular contacts, especially on the sidelines of UN General Assemblies. The relation between Morocco and Austria will undoubtedly be a model of cooperation for Europe and Africa and I am confident that this promising partnership will continue to thrive in the years to come.
In January 2024, the Austrian Minister of Labour and Economy, Martin Kocher, together with a large delegation of senior government officials and business leaders visited Morocco. Where do you see the biggest potential for collaboration? How important are official visits like this one?
This economic mission to Morocco marked a significant step in strengthening economic cooperation and was crowned by the signing of a MoU on Economic Cooperation with H.E. Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Kingdom of Morocco, who articulated the mutual aspirations of Morocco and Austria. It’s important to underline that the organisation of this visit has taken into account the growth of the economic cooperation and the trade exchange between Morocco and Austria over the last years. Indeed, with exports amounting to 214 million € and imports totalling 290 million € in 2022, Austria stands as Morocco’s 10th largest trading partner. In addition, the Austrian foreign direct investments in Morocco reached 13,6 million € in the same year, highlighting the economic significance of this evolving partnership.
During the last decade, Morocco – as a potential African investment hub for Austria – has witnessed accelerated political, economic, and social reforms with a steady economic growth. With an open economy and access to a market of nearly 1 billion consumers thanks to the free trade agreements (FTAs), Morocco has showed excellent performance over the past few years and was ranked the most attractive FDI destination in Africa.
Today, the efforts deployed under the „New Investment Charter” will further improve the business climate in Morocco. Furthermore, maximizing its potential in renewable energy and the automobile industry, Morocco is poised to strengthen its position as a hub for sustainability and innovation. Indeed, Morocco’s products have become globally competitive and the Kingdom, for example, is now leading the African automotive industry with a production capacity of 700,000 vehicles a year. This sector boasts a high export turnover that surpassed $US 8.7 billion in 2023.
In tandem with its automotive industry success, Morocco is becoming an important player in the production of low-carbon energy to mitigate climate change and build resilience against volatile and expensive energy prices. As one of the first countries in Africa to align economic development with environmental protection, Morocco is proactively engaged in solar and wind energy production, with the solar power plant in Noor-Ouarzazate being the largest in the world.
Today, the spotlight is on the competitiveness of Morocco’s green energy. In a world transitioning to decarbonization, Moroccan production gains a distinct competitive advantage. Ranked 9th in cobalt production globally, the mineral used in the production of batteries for energy storage and wind energy, Morocco also exerts a considerable influence in promoting green mobility through its support of the global supply chain.
As manufacturers in Europe broaden their supplier base to diminish supply chain risks, Morocco’s proximity to the continent and its macroeconomic performance have made the country a destination of choice for numerous multinationals to set up plants. Thus, with its potential to contribute to the global transition to renewable energy and expanding its role in the automotive industry, among others, Morocco is charting a course toward global influence.
In 2022, Morocco and the EU signed a Green Partnership – what are your country’s expectations of this cooperation?
This MoU – the first of its kind – aims at establishing a Green Partnership between the actors in the areas of climate change, energy transition, environmental protection, and promotion of green and blue economy. This Partnership will enable Morocco and the EU to progress toward their shared goals of becoming low-carbon economies moving towards climate neutrality, while ensuring the security of their energy supplies. Moreover, it will enable partners to strengthen their cooperation and make it a lever for mutually beneficial sustainable development that promotes the emergence of economic and social opportunities. Similarly, it will contribute to a more intense involvement of the private sector in the green fields, and to a closer collaboration with financial organizations and European cooperation institutions. The green partnership, will build on the many achievements of the bilateral relationship, as part of the existing framework of Morocco-EU relations. Morocco hopes that the Green Partnership will foster greater collaboration and dialogue between government institutions, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector.
Morocco considers the Green Partnership with the EU as a valuable opportunity to accelerate its transition towards a more sustainable and resilient future. By working closely with the EU and other partners, Morocco aims at addressing environmental challenges, promoting green growth, and improving the well-being of its citizens while contributing to global efforts to combat climate change and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
In 2030, Morocco will host the World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal. What does this mean for the global standing of Morocco? Which benefits is Morocco expecting from hosting one of the most famous sport events worldwide?
Hosting the World Cup is a landmark event in Morocco’s history, and a great achievement under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI who has prioritized mainly the development and modernization of infrastructure, sports, tourism, etc in order to host such a prestigious event.
The designation of Morocco jointly with Portugal and Spain to host one of the major sport events in the world is not a surprise. In the History of the World Cup Football, Morocco was the first African and Arab nation to advance past World Cup group stages at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, this outstanding performance prompted FIFA to increase the number of African teams at the World Cup from two in 1986 to three in 1990.
During the last World Cup 2022 in Qatar, Morocco captured global attention with its historic performances. Morocco’s historic qualification in the semifinal made it the first African and Arab country to reach such a milestone.
The tripartite bid of Morocco, Spain, and Portugal elevates the African and European countries to a new phase in relations, and will symbolize the cooperation and peace between two continents separated only by the Mediterranean Sea. These three countries are distinguished by their geographical proximity, moderate weather, security and stability, and their peoples‘ passion for football and sports in general.
The FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, underlined immediately after the decision of the FIFA Council, that “the trio’s hosting of the tournament is sending a great message of peace, tolerance, and inclusion. The two continents – Africa and Europe – united not only in a celebration of football but also in providing unique social and cultural cohesion.”
For my country, hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2030 represents a transformative opportunity to showcase its potential, accelerate its development, and leave a legacy for its citizens and the international community. Through careful planning, investment, and collaboration, Morocco will maximize the benefits of hosting one of the world’s most iconic sporting events and position itself as a leading destination for global events and tourism.
Morocco’s role in EU migration control is growing and there are reports that at the end of the year, a migration pact between the two parties will be finalized. What is Morocco’s stance on this deal?
Morocco has historically played a significant role in migration management, given its strategic location as a transit country between Africa and Europe. The Kingdom has cooperated with the EU on various initiatives aimed at addressing irregular migration, human trafficking, and border security.
It’s important to recall the dialogue between Morocco and EU on migration cooperation is part of the strategic, multidimensional and privileged relationship aiming at developing consultations for a true “Euro-Moroccan partnership for shared prosperity”, according to the joint declaration adopted on June 2019 of the Association Council between Morocco and EU.
In this respect, enhanced consultations and balanced cooperation on mobility and migration based on the 2013 Mobility Partnership are one of the pillars of our common vision for the future of the euro-Mediterranean prosperity, in compliance with national powers and the full implementation of Moroccoʾs national strategy on migration and asylum.
Indeed, the management of migration requires joint and sustained efforts by Morocco, the European Union and its Member States in the framework of an approach that is comprehensive, humane and respectful of human rights, while taking concerted actions to deal with the root causes of irregular migration.
Ultimately, the partnership for shared prosperity is a dynamic example to be used by partners who share the same level of ambition. It is therefore, as it’s underlined in paragraph 16 of the Morocco-EU joint declaration, signed on 2019, “an important milestone in Euro-Mediterranean rapprochement, which is crucial for addressing current and future shared challenges”.