US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, held on Friday telephone talks with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, on the bilateral relationship between the two countries, The US State Department said in a statement.
According to the same source, Blinken welcomed Moroccan steps to improve relations with Israel, noting that the Moroccan-Israeli relationship would bring long-term benefits to the two countries.
The two officials also discussed opportunities for increased cooperation in Africa to enhance economic prosperity and stability, as the US Secretary of State highlighted the main role of Morocco in promoting stability in the Sahel region and Libya.
The two sides also discussed the long-term reforms of King Mohammed VI over the past two decades, according to the US State Department statement, and Blinken encouraged Morocco to continue implementing these reforms and reaffirming its commitment to protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Blinken praised King Mohammed VI's leadership in combating climate change and investing in renewable energy, encouraging Morocco to help promote green economic growth and development in Africa.
Bourita and Blinken noted that this year marks the bicentenary of the granting of the American Legation building in Tangiers to the American people by Sultan Moulay Suleiman, and is an example of the long-term strategic partnership that the two countries plan to highlight throughout the year.
In a related context, the US Secretary of State published a post on his account on Twitter in which he confirmed that he had "had a good conversation today with Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita about a range of shared regional peace and security interests, including developments in Libya and our desire to see stability and prosperity there."
