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Italy and Morocco mark 200 years of diplomacy with renewed focus on stability and growth
Italy’s ambassador to Morocco, Pasquale Salzano, has highlighted the growing ties between Rome and Rabat, positioning Morocco as a key partner in Italy's Mediterranean and Africa strategies. With 2025 marking the bicentennial of diplomatic relations, the partnership is being celebrated as both a historical renewal and a forward-looking endeavor.
Strengthening a strategic partnership
In an exclusive interview, Salzano emphasized that Italy and Morocco share a vision of transforming the wider Mediterranean into a stable and innovative space. Tasked with implementing the 2019-2023 strategic framework, he aims to deepen cooperation across migration, energy, industry, and cultural exchange. This framework builds on Morocco’s regional leadership and Italy’s Mediterranean ambitions.
Salzano underscored Italy’s respect for Morocco’s reform trajectory under His Majesty King Mohammed VI, including advancements in renewable energy, infrastructure, and youth empowerment. He described Morocco as a crucial bridge between Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic.
Economic collaboration accelerates
Bilateral trade between the two nations surged to approximately €5 billion in 2024, doubling since 2020. Italian exports to Morocco predominantly include machinery, petroleum, and semiconductor devices, while Morocco supplies cars, fertilizers, and agri-food products. This economic exchange aligns with Morocco’s global value-chain role in automotive and agro-industries, supported by agreements like the 1972 double-taxation treaty and the 2019 Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership.
Cultural and social ties
The Moroccan diaspora in Italy, numbering over 412,000 residents, plays a pivotal role in fostering cultural and economic exchanges. With €6.9 billion in remittances sent between 2005 and 2024, this community strengthens bilateral ties. Recent agreements, such as mutual driving license recognition, further enhance integration.
Future outlook
Looking ahead, Salzano envisions expanding cooperation in renewable energy, advanced industries, and cultural exchange. He also sees Morocco’s hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup as an opportunity for joint projects in infrastructure and tourism. The bicentennial year will feature initiatives celebrating two centuries of diplomacy while laying the groundwork for future agreements in innovation, energy, and academia.
Salzano’s mission is clear: to strengthen political dialogue, deepen economic collaboration, and foster societal integration, ensuring that the historic partnership continues to grow in the decades to come.
