The top US diplomat just wrapped up a whirlwind tour of Algeria and Morocco.
"Morocco is playing an important leadership role and the United States will stand by this relationship every step of the way," AFP quoted US Secretary of State John Kerry American diplomat as saying Friday (April 4th) in Rabat.
Speaking at the opening of the second Morocco-US Strategic Dialogue on Friday, Moroccan Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar said that the kingdom was "convinced that it is necessary to implement shared programs with our American partner to guarantee stability and economic prosperity".
"This strategic partnership will be decisive in determining the fate of this region and the African continent in general at the economic, financial or security levels," Mezouar added.
For his part, Kerry expressed the respect of the US administration for the role of Morocco in supporting stability in Africa and in fighting terrorism. The US secretary of state also met with King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane.
The Moroccan monarch stressed his "deep attachment to this strategic partnership, as the product of an ancient and multi-dimensional alliance with the United States".
"It derives its depth from confidence, solidarity, and shared values and from interdependence and the defence of common interests. This partnership has been able to adapt, evolve, and regenerate in order to respond to the expectations of the two countries, and keep pace with regional and international shifts," the king said.
On the economic front, both sides focused on the pros of maintaining a business environment attractive for investors in Morocco. They noted the kingdom's importance as a base for investments in North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.
Algeria visit focuses on securityKerry landed in Rabat after a two-day visit to Algeria, where security also topped the bilateral agenda.
Counter-terrorism and all-round co-operation were at the centre of the discussions between the US diplomat, his Algerian counterpart and President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Arriving in Algiers on Wednesday, the American secretary of state co-chaired the second meeting of the Algerian-US Strategic Dialogue.
The final statement of the meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to strengthening security collaboration and supporting global counter-terrorism efforts.
Algeria and the United States expressed their commitment to "fight this scourge, to share information and to fight against kidnapping for ransom".
Kerry expressed US support for Algeria in the fight against terrorism and welcomed its efforts to restore stability in the Sahel region.
Beyond the security aspect, both parties reviewed other areas of partnership by committing to "share their experience and expertise in the fields of education, higher education, science, and technology".
Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra said that "the partnership between Algeria and the United States is moving toward an alliance built on the strong pillars of confidence, trust, mutual respect, values, and shared interests".
"Algeria is ready to expand co-operation with the United States to include areas previously unexplored while strengthening at the same time those that are already existing," he added." The Algerian market is open and ready to remove all remaining obstacles to become more attractive to foreign investment."
Kerry was also received by President Bouteflika, who expressed his hope to see the commitments made by the American diplomat implemented.
"Such commitments have been repeatedly reiterated, but it is the realisation that is difficult," the Algerian president pointed out.
© Magharebia.com 2014
