Benkirane: Morocco's relationship with Turkey is "deeply rooted in history"

Prime Minister of Morocco Abdelilah Benkirane said that his country’s relationship with Turkey is “deeply rooted in history and is based on brotherhood, cooperation and advocacy”.

The statement was made exclusively to the Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of a celebration in Rabat, at the residence of Turkish Ambassador Ugur Ariner, tomark the 91st anniversary of the Turkish Republic.

The Moroccan prime minister said he considered “the current transitional period that is being experienced in Turkey after Recep Tayyip Erodgan’s inauguration has led to the strengthening of relations between the two countries, both on the regional and state levels”.

During his speech Ariner said: “The bilateral relationship and level of cooperation between both Turkey and Morocco has greatly developed in the recent period and on many different levels and areas.”

He called on construction companies in his country to “increase the rate of investments in Morocco and to contribute to the evolution of Morocco’s economic fabric”. Ariner said he considered Morocco to be the most stable and economically promising country in West Africa and Africa in general.

King Mohamed VI of Morocco sent a telegram to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday expressing his sense of pride and happiness for the cooperation and brotherhood between the two countries.

The Moroccan monarch stressed his country’s keen interest in “increasing the level of cooperation with Turkey on various issues including the framework of international organisations and active roles in the pan-Mediterranean region at large, in which both Morocco and Turkey both play an active role”.

The ceremony was attended by a number of Moroccan parliamentary and government officials as well as representatives from numerous diplomatic missions.