Morocco and Finland have emphasized that their bilateral relations are excellent and mutually beneficial, reaffirming their shared desire to strengthen and expand them. At a meeting on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, in Helsinki, Elina Valtonen, head of Finnish diplomacy, and Nasser Bourita, Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is on a working visit, expressed their determination to enhance economic and trade ties. To this end, the organization of a business forum in 2025 will be planned to foster cooperation between the two countries' economic players, according to a joint communiqué issued at the end of the meeting. Several key sectors offering comparative advantages were identified, including digitalization, particularly in terms of cybersecurity and the deployment of secure 5G networks, which was defined as a priority. Both countries stressed the importance of secure networks for national security and as a decisive factor for investment in a digital economy based on trust. They also recalled the important framework governing their bilateral relations, including the two memorandums of understanding signed between Finland and Morocco in the fields of renewable energies and integrated water resource management, welcoming the concrete measures for their implementation. In the water sector, Finland is well-positioned to offer its expertise in water-related technologies and smart solutions, in line with Morocco's priorities. In this respect, the two ministers agreed to encourage experts to explore new areas of common interest. They also took note of both countries' renewable energy objectives and identified solutions to support the green transition, notably through the exploitation of green hydrogen as a key area for future collaboration. They highlighted the importance of new technologies in the fields of health and well-being as promising areas for partnership, particularly in light of the ongoing reforms of the health sector in Morocco. Morocco also expressed its appreciation for Finland's African strategy and its willingness to contribute to its implementation both bilaterally and through tripartite cooperation with African countries. The two countries pledged to maintain and further deepen their collaboration in multilateral forums such as the UN, notably within the UN Human Rights Council, which Morocco is chairing for the year 2024, and of which Finland is vice-president. The meeting, which coincided with the 65th anniversary of Finnish-Moroccan diplomatic relations, enabled the two ministers to discuss a number of topical international and bilateral issues.
