Morocco/Switzerland – 100 years of diplomatic relations

It all began on 19 November 1921, when Switzerland opened its first consulate in Casablanca. A hundred years later, Morocco and Switzerland continue to maintain good diplomatic relations. To celebrate this centenary, a press conference was organised in Rabat to highlight the strengths of relations between the two nations. For the occasion, a special logo was also unveiled at a press conference on 1^st June.

For this press conference, several figures were the guests of Guillaume Scheurer, Ambassador of Switzerland to Morocco: Omar Fassi-Fehri, Permanent Secretary of the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology; Abdeljalil Lahjomri, Permanent Secretary of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco; Redouane Adghoughi, Director of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Mohamed Benabid, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper L’Economiste.

Relations set fair

“Relations between the two countries have already reached a considerable level and are described as ‘good’”. For Mr Guillaume Scheurer, Ambassador of Switzerland to Morocco, this is self-evident. These relations, marked by stability and harmony, are illustrated by the dynamism of trade, which exceeded 600 million euros for the first time in 2019. “When we think of relations between the two countries, it is the economic aspect that often comes to mind. At this level, Morocco and Switzerland have been able to develop strong ties. Our investments in Morocco translate into nearly 10,000 jobs and some fifty Swiss companies active in various sectors, making Morocco its third-largest trading partner in Africa”, Mr Guillaume Scheurer said in his speech.

This was confirmed by Redouane Adghoughi, Director of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who welcomed the dynamism of relations and political dialogue between the two countries, affirming that Morocco is taking an approach of consolidation towards its foreign partners. “The quality of relations between the two countries is reflected in the conclusion of several agreements covering many fields. The free trade agreement between Morocco and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), signed on 19 June 1997, entered into force in 1999”, the speaker was keen to recall.

A rich programme to celebrate the centenary

As part of the centenary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Embassy of Switzerland in Morocco has prepared a programme of activities with a strong emphasis on innovation, history and culture. The celebrations will be officially launched on 22 June at the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco. During a conference, two historians, one Swiss and the other Moroccan, will look back at the key moments in relations between the two countries. The launch ceremony will be followed by a reception showcasing Swiss gastronomy and innovation. On the menu: a raclette served to the guests by the ‘Roboclette’.

The Embassy of Switzerland in Morocco, in collaboration with the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology, is also organising a series of conferences on the theme ‘Innovation and questions of the present time’. During this series, seven conferences are planned between June 2021 and January 2022, with the remarkable participation of Swiss and Moroccan experts, historians, academics and researchers from a variety of backgrounds.

For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, is expected to visit Switzerland in summer 2021, a visit that will include the signing of a Joint Declaration to frame and strengthen Moroccan-Swiss exchanges. “Together, we want to give our bilateral relations a broader foundation in order to diversify them and develop them even further”, said Guillaume Scheurer, the Swiss Ambassador to Morocco, at the press conference.

There is no doubt that this centenary represents a real opportunity to consolidate economic and diplomatic relations and to look to the future together.