November 25, 2014 – Rabat, Morocco
Check Against Delivery
Minister Mezouar, Ambassadors, ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to be among you today to inaugurate the new Embassy of Canada to Morocco.
I welcome all of you to this splendid building, a lasting symbol of the deep ties between Canada and Morocco.
Your presence today is also a testament to these important ties that exist between our two countries, as well as your interest in continually helping to strengthen them.
I have just toured the facilities, and what impresses and inspires me most is the building’s design, which symbolizes the relations between our two countries.
The Moroccan pavilion, which serves as the main office building, resembles a riad.
It has been wonderfully embellished by a range of Moroccan master craftspeople, and in its centre is an interior garden and a lovely fountain.
The pavilion in which you now find yourselves has a more Canadian character.
It is made of metal, glass, and above all, wood.
You will no doubt admire these beams, which remind us of the mighty maple tree, one of Canada’s emblems, of which we are proud.
This building symbolizes the enormous progress we have made since diplomatic relations between our two countries began in 1962.
At the humble beginnings of these relations, Canada did not yet have an embassy in Morocco, and Canada’s ambassador to Madrid was also accredited to Morocco.
In 1968, a development office was established in Rabat, and in 1974, Canada opened its first embassy to Morocco.
We have come a long way in the past 50 years.
Today, Canada and Morocco continue to maintain excellent political, trade, social, cultural and economic relations. We work together to strengthen democracy and human rights, to ensure security and fight against terrorism, and to stimulate growth and employment.
We are important partners in several multilateral organizations, such as the International Organisation of La Francophonie.
Indeed, at the Francophonie Summit in Dakar a few days from now, I hope to engage in further discussions with my Moroccan colleagues.
Our two countries represent important markets for mutual exports.
Moroccans are fond of couscous made of semolina from Canadian wheat, just as Canadians are very keen on clementines from Morocco when the cold weather sets in.
Multiculturalism and tolerance are fundamental values that shared by our two countries.
More than 72,000 Canadians are of Moroccan origin, making them the second-largest group among the North African diaspora in Canada.
More than 2,000 Moroccan students pursue their studies in Canada each year, and it is estimated that 15,000 Moroccans are graduates of Canadian universities.
The well-established presence of Moroccan-Canadian communities in both countries serves as a human bridge, strengthening our cultural, social and even business ties.
It goes without saying that promoting development and prosperity are two other key aspects of our cooperation.
Indeed, since 1963, through its cooperation program, Canada has worked within the framework of Morocco’s reform priorities aimed at improving the quality of basic education and vocational training.
Through its efforts, Canada aims to help ensure that Morocco’s system of education and training is more aligned with actual labour market requirements, thus contributing to greater employability for youth.
Supporting the employability of all youth—from the most fortunate to the most vulnerable—is one of the pillars of our development strategy in Morocco.
On the other hand, I must point out that our current trade is well below its potential.
This is why, in 2011, the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, and his Moroccan counterpart, Abbas El Fassi, announced the launch of negotiations to sign a free-trade agreement between Morocco and Canada.
Such an agreement would not only give our relations a higher profile, it would also be beneficial to our two countries as it would allow greater trade and investment in emerging sectors of Morocco.
Because it is strategically positioned on a fast-growing continent, Morocco can serve as a gateway for Canadian exporters to Africa.
For its part, Canada offers preferred access, in the French language, to the lucrative North American market, resulting in greater prosperity for Moroccans and for Canadians.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to conclude my remarks on the occasion of this official inauguration by thanking those who contributed to this important project, including:
- Khalid Ouaya, Director of Agence Urbaine de Rabat-Salé, Provencher Roy + Associés Architectes Montréal (Alain Compéra and Anne Rouaud of PRAA) in partnership with Majid Lahbabi Architecte, Casablanca;
- Grupo Casais, Portugal, and Superintendent Juliana Pereira Alves;
- Dessau et Pageau Morel (Montréal), Goodkey Weedmark (Ottawa);
- Gaya, Casablanca, G.E.T.B, Casablanca and Tecnitas, Casablanca.
Congratulations to all of you, and thanks you for your collaboration. The end result is unquestionably magnificent!
Let us regard this building as symbolizing a new chapter in our bilateral relations.
A chapter in which, together, we will continue to contribute to the sustainable economic growth of our societies, and to promote the values of democracy, tolerance and peace.
Thank you for your kind attention.
