The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Residing Abroad hosted the formal launch of the fifth phase of the Morocco–Council of Europe Neighborhood Partnership (2026–2029) in Rabat on Tuesday.

Attendees included representatives from relevant ministries and institutions, officials from the Council of Europe Office in Rabat, and ambassadors from Council of Europe member states accredited to Morocco.

The discussions centered on two key panels: one reviewing past achievements and future prospects of the partnership, and another exploring practical approaches to ensure the sustainable implementation of its projects.

Since ascending to the throne, His Majesty King Mohammed VI has championed sweeping reforms to strengthen democracy, advance human rights, and reinforce the rule of law. Driven by a vision of modernizing the state, Morocco has embedded these commitments in its constitutional framework.

This ambitious agenda has yielded tangible progress, including the consolidation of democratic institutions enshrined in the 2011 Constitution, the strengthening of national mechanisms for human rights protection, ongoing judicial reform, and the guarantee of judicial independence.

This Neighborhood Partnership with the Council of Europe reflects Morocco’s unwavering commitment to aligning its institutions with global standards and modernity—a vision championed by the King.

Morocco has also deepened cooperation with Council of Europe bodies in areas such as audiovisual media (through the HACA, Morocco is a member of the Executive Council of the European Audiovisual Observatory since 2013 and the only non-European and regional member), sports, and gender equality—a principle enshrined in Article 19 of the Constitution.

The Morocco–Council of Europe relationship spans decades and covers multiple dimensions. Morocco stands out as one of the region’s most engaged partners, having ratified 13 conventions and protocols across justice, cybercrime, data protection, and other areas.

Morocco is the first Southern Neighbourhood country—and the only African nation—to hold the status of Partner for Democracy with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). It is also the sole country in the region to achieve the Partner for Local Democracy status with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CLRAE).