The State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Morocco have diplomatic relations since 1972, based on a mutual will and an unlimited common aspiration to develop and expand the areas of cooperation to serve the interests of both countries and peoples.
The distinct relations between the two countries have been enhanced by mutual visits, most importantly was the visit of HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco to Doha in 2002, and the visit of Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to Marrakesh in the same year, as well as his visits to Tangier in 2005 and Rabat in 2011.
H M King Mohammed VI of Morocco also visited Doha in 2012 and 2016. Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visit Marrakesh in 2013.
Qatar and Morocco have succeeded to open up new broad horizons for cooperation, represented in the exchange of visits and development programs, and the holding of the joint higher committees which undoubtedly contributed to the progress of development between the two countries, and the convergence of common visions.
The relations between the two countries have upgraded to strategic partnership, based on the vision and good leadership of the leaders of the two countries, Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and HM King Mohammed VI. The two leaders worked together to strengthening relations and developing cooperation between the two countries in all fields.
In the past 36 years, more than 45 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) have been signed. In 1981, an agreement was signed to regulate the employment of Moroccan workers in Qatar, in addition to a media agreement between the two sides. In 1987, an agreement was signed on air transport. In 2003, the two sides signed a protocol for cooperation in the administrative field.
In 2011, a partnership agreement was signed to establish a joint Qatari-Moroccan investment authority, a MoU for tourism cooperation; a MoU for cooperation in the mineral field; an additional protocol to the agreement on the regulation of the employment of Moroccan workers in Qatar signed in 1998; a mutual administrative assistance agreement to enable the proper application of the Customs Act and to prevent; investigate and combat crimes; and a protocol for cultural cooperation in the restoration of castles, forts, archaeological sites and historical monuments in Qatar.
In addition, an agreement has been signed on the exemption of nationals of the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Morocco with diplomatic and private passports and the service of visa requirements. The two sides also signed a letter of intent on industrial cooperation in the field of chemical fertilizers; the executive program of the scientific and technical cooperation agreement in the field of specifications, standards and quality control; a MoU between Qatar Central Bank and the Bank of Morocco; and a MoU between Qatar Olympic Committee representing the sport sector in Qatar and the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the Kingdom of Morocco in the field of sports.
The two countries also have mutual agreements in the fields of culture, arts, education and media.
In 2013, the two countries signed an agreement to avoid double taxation, prevent tax evasion in respect of income taxes; a MoU for Qatar’s contribution to financing development projects in the Kingdom, a scientific and technical cooperation agreement; a bilateral cooperation agreement in the field of infrastructure projects; and a cooperation and twinning agreement between the Court of Cassation in Morocco and the Court of Cassation in the State of Qatar.
In 2014, an agreement was signed in the field of maritime transport, in addition to a Memorandum of Understanding on the mutual recognition of certificates in accordance with the international agreements for training and rehabilitation; a MoU on cooperation in the field of endowments and Islamic affairs; a MoU in the field of social development; an executive program of the cooperation agreement in the field of youth; and an agreement of cooperation and exchange between Qatar News Agency and the Moroccan official news agency, the Maghreb Arab Press (MAP).
The two countries also signed two agreements relating to the financing of agriculture and fishing sector projects, the first agreement on the financing of agricultural projects with a grant of $202 million and the second agreement on the financing of fishing projects with a grant of $69 million. In addition, the two sides signed a cooperation agreement in the field of security, an agreement in the field of air transport, and a cooperation agreement between the Kingdom of Morocco and the State of Qatar for the conservation of biodiversity and wild animals and their habitats.
In 2015, a cooperation agreement was signed between Qatar Rail and the Moroccan National Railways, as well as a strategic cooperation and partnership agreement between Qatar Airways and the Moroccan national carrier, Royal Air Maroc.
In 2016, the sixth session of the Qatari-Moroccan High Supreme Committee was held in Doha. The session resulted in the signing of several agreements and memorandums of understanding in various fields, including an agreement on legal and judicial cooperation, a memorandum of understanding between Qatar’s National Committee for International Humanitarian Law and Morocco’s National Committee for International Humanitarian Law, in addition to an agreement in the field of maritime transport and a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the fields of oil, gas, renewable energy and electricity.
On the economic side, Morocco’s Ministry of Economy reported that trade exchange between Morocco and Qatar has witnessed an important development, rising from 517 million dirhams in 2010 to 681 million dirhams in 2014 with an annual growth rate of 21%. Aluminum and plastic products represent the bulk of Moroccan imports from Qatar, while Morocco exports to Qatar include mainly food products and furniture.
The human and social dimension was present in the pace of cooperation between the two countries, in line with the boom in the economic relations between the two countries. This is reflected in the Qatari efforts to implement social projects in Morocco, in particular the contribution of the Qatar Fund for Development to financing the construction of a university hospital in the north of the Kingdom worth $300 million.
In implementation of the directives of the Emir and with special funding from His Highness, two projects out of 5 projects were completed in the city of Rachidia in southern Morocco, to support the education and health sectors, including a blood and dialysis center and a school complex for elementary and preparatory schools.
The State of Qatar has also allocated $88 million in support for a project to assess desert and semi-desert areas in southern Morocco, which will benefit the southern provinces of Morocco, especially Guelmim, Tan-Tan, Laayoune and Tata.
