Australia–Morocco relations explained

Mission1:Embassy of Australia, Rabat
Mission2:Embassy of Morocco, Canberra
Envoy1:Michael Cutts
Envoy2:Wassane Zailachi
Envoytitle1:Ambassador
Envoytitle2:Ambassador

Diplomatic relations between Australia and Morocco were established in 1976. Morocco has had an embassy in Canberra since 2004 and the Australian Embassy in Rabat was established in May 2017, upgrading the existing Austrade office in Rabat.[1] Previously the Australian Embassy in Paris was accredited to Morocco since 1978.

Diplomatic relations

See also: List of ambassadors of Morocco to Australia and List of ambassadors of Australia to Morocco. On 13 July 1976, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Andrew Peacock, announced the release of a joint statement marking the establishment of diplomatic relations with Morocco as "a mark of the desire of both countries to consolidate and strengthen mutual understanding and to stimulate cultural and commercial links."[2] On 6 October 1978 the acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ian Sinclair, announced the appointment of John Rowland, the serving Australian Ambassador to France, as the non-resident accredited Ambassador to Morocco.[3] Rowland presented his credentials as ambassador to King Hassan II of Morocco on 19 February 1981.[4]

The Moroccan Embassy to Indonesia in Jakarta was initially given responsibility for relations with Australia in 1997 with the Ambassador to Indonesia, Omar Hilale, presenting his credentials as the non-resident ambassador to Australia in 1997. In 2004, King Mohammed VI of Morocco announced the establishment of a Moroccan Embassy in Canberra and the first Ambassador, Badre Eddine Allali, presented his credentials to the Governor General of Australia on 24 November 2005. The Moroccan embassy is also accredited to Vanuatu, Kiribati, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tuvalu.

Australian official visits

Moroccan official visits

Australian embassy

In February 2012, the Australian Parliament Foreign Affairs Sub-committee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade undertook an inquiry into the state of Australia's overseas postings. The Ambassador of Morocco to Australia, Mohamed Mael-Ainin, subsequently made a submission to the inquiry arguing for the establishment of an Australian embassy in Morocco, noting: "An Australian embassy in Rabat, like all other great powers, will give an impetus to our ascending bilateral cooperation as well as facilitate Australia’s interests in neighbouring countries, especially French-speaking countries, in Africa."[11] The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also noted to the committee that "an embassy in Morocco would increase Australia’s capacity to engage with a significant player in North Africa, including in the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation."

The subsequent report of the committee, entitled Australia’s Overseas Representation – Punching below our weight?, observed in its recommendations that "there is merit in opening an embassy in Morocco to serve the Maghreb and notes that this is in DFAT’s plans for an expanded network should it receive sufficient funds."[12]

On 12 May 2017, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced the establishment of the Australian Embassy in Rabat and Berenice Owen-Jones as the new ambassador (taking up office in June 2017), noting that this appointment would be "an important addition to Australia’s diplomatic presence in Africa and part of the single largest expansion of our diplomatic network in 40 years."[13]

Michael Cutts has been the Australian ambassador to Morocco since 4 September 2020.[14] [15]

Trade and investment

Trade between Morocco and Australia is small but growing, with total merchandise trade between the two countries for 2015–16 being AUD$79,307, an increase of 17.2%. Major Australian exports to Morocco includes meat and sugars, honey and molasses, while major Moroccan exports to Australia include crude and processed fertilisers.[16]

Defence relations

Ties between the Australian Defence Force and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces are limited. In June 2015, visited Casablanca in a rare visit to Morocco by an Australian naval vessel.[17] In May 2011, a delegation from the Royal Moroccan Navy visited Australia to view Armidale-class patrol boats as a potential replacement to their existing patrol boat fleet.[18]

In 1991, Australia sent 45 military personnel to serve as the Force Communications Unit of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The Australian contingent was withdrawn in 1994. On 21 June 1993, Army Doctor Major Susan Felsche, of the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps, was killed in a Medical Unit aircraft crash, while serving in MINURSO.[19]

There is a single Australian war grave in Morocco, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Flying Officer Leo George Hardiman, attached to No. 145 Maintenance Unit RAF, was killed in an accident on active service on 30 November 1944, and was buried at Ben M'Sik European Cemetery in Casablanca.[20]

Renewable energy cooperation

In an event celebrating Australia day in 2024, Australian ambassador, Cutts stressed the partnership between the two countries in green energy.[21] The ambassador spoke about partnership in building a green hydrogen economy.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Austrade's office in Morocco. Austrade offices. Australian Trade Commission. 7 February 2016.
  2. Web site: Diplomatic Relations With Morocco. Minister for Foreign Affairs - Hon. Andrew Peacock M.P.. Australian Government. 7 February 2016. Parlinfo. News Release. 13 July 1976.
  3. Web site: Appointment of Ambassador to Morocco. Minister for Foreign Affairs - Rt. Hon. Ian Sinclair M.P.. Australian Government. 7 February 2016. Parlinfo. News Release. 6 October 1978.
  4. Australian Representation Overseas . Australian Foreign Affairs Record . February 1981 . 52 . 2 . 96 . 7 July 2022.
  5. Web site: Brown. Robert. DELEGATION REPORTS – Delegation to Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia and Morocco. House of Representatives. Parliament of Australia. 7 February 2016. Hansard. 6 June 1994.
  6. Web site: DELEGATION REPORTS – Parliamentary Delegation to Morocco and Algeria and to the 52nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, Nigeria. House of Representatives. Parliament of Australia. 7 February 2016. Hansard. 27 November 2006.
  7. Web site: Bilateral Relations – Morocco-Australia . Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco, Canberra . Kingdom of Morocco . 7 February 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113314/http://www.moroccoembassy.org.au/?q=morocco-australia . 1 September 2014 .
  8. Web site: Stone. Sharman. DELEGATION REPORTS – Parliamentary Delegation to the Kingdom of Morocco and the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. House of Representatives. Parliament of Australia. 7 February 2016. Hansard. 18 March 2013.
  9. News: COP22: Australia To Open Embassy in Morocco To Foster Partnership. 23 May 2017. The North Africa Post. 16 November 2016.
  10. News: MOROCCAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS AUSTRALIA. 7 February 2016. The Middle East Times.
  11. Web site: MAEL-AININ, His Excellency Mr Mohamed, Moroccan Ambassador – Australia's overseas representation. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. Parliament of Australia. 7 February 2016. Hansard. 17 February 2012.
  12. Web site: Inquiry into Australia’s Overseas Representation. House of Representatives Committees > Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. Parliament of Australia. 7 February 2016. 29 October 2012.
  13. News: Bishop. Julie. Ambassador to Morocco. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201081624/http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2017/jb_mr_170512.aspx. 1 December 2017. 12 May 2017. Minister for Foreign Affairs. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 12 May 2017. Media Release.
  14. Web site: Ambassador to Morocco . 11 August 2023 . Minister of Foreign Affairs.
  15. Web site: Australian Embassy in . 2023-08-11 . morocco.embassy.gov.au.
  16. Web site: Fact Sheet: MOROCCO. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 25 May 2017.
  17. News: Australian frigate visits Morocco. 25 May 2017. Navy Daily. Department of Defence. 19 June 2015. 30 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201130224856/https://news.navy.gov.au/en/Jun2015/Fleet/2111/Australian-frigate-visits-Morocco.htm#.WSaJ88YlHIU. dead.
  18. News: Bode. Mark. Slipper puts his foot in it. 25 May 2017. Sunshine Coast Daily. 7 June 2011.
  19. Web site: UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) 1991 – 1994. War History. Australian War Memorial. 25 May 2017.
  20. Web site: Roll of Honour: Leo George Hardiman. Australian War Memorial. 25 May 2017.
  21. Web site: 2024-05-27 . Morocco & Australia, Rising World Powers in Renewable Energies, Green Hydrogen (Ambassador) . 2024-06-16 . Energy Central . en.

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