Rabat witnessed the formal launch of the fifth phase of the Morocco-Council of Europe Neighbourhood Partnership (2026-2029) on Tuesday, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates. The ceremony brought together representatives from ministries and institutions involved in the partnership, officials from the Council of Europe office in Rabat, and delegates from embassies of Council of Europe member states accredited to Morocco.
The event featured two panels: one reviewing the achievements and prospects of the new Neighbourhood Partnership, and another focusing on concrete approaches to ensure the sustainable implementation of projects under this framework.
Since King Mohammed VI ascended to the throne, Morocco has embarked on a broad reform process aimed at strengthening democracy, promoting human rights, and consolidating the rule of law. Driven by a deep commitment to state modernisation, the kingdom has adopted strong constitutional obligations. This momentum has led to significant progress, notably through the consolidation of democratic institutions under the 2011 Constitution, the reinforcement of national mechanisms for human rights promotion and protection, ongoing judicial reforms, and the affirmation of judicial independence.
It is precisely this royal vision that underpins the Neighbourhood Partnership with the Council of Europe, reflecting Morocco’s continuous determination to align its institutions with modernity and international standards. This commitment has also deepened cooperation with Council of Europe bodies in areas such as audiovisual regulation (Morocco, through HACA, has been a member of the European Audiovisual Observatory’s Executive Council since 2013, the only non-European and regional country represented), sports, and the promotion of gender equality—a principle enshrined in Article 19 of the Constitution.
Morocco and the Council of Europe share long-standing, multidimensional relations. The kingdom stands as one of the region’s most engaged partners, having acceded to 13 conventions and protocols covering justice, cybercrime, data protection, and other fields. Moreover, Morocco is the first southern neighbourhood country and the sole African nation to hold the ‘Partner for Democracy’ status with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). It also remains the only country in the region to have obtained the ‘Partner for Local Democracy’ status with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CPLR).
