The United Kingdom remains a strong partner of its long-standing friends, including Morocco, even if it leaves the European Union, said, on Wednesday in Rabat, Simon McDonald, Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service. «Morocco is a key trading partner of the United Kingdom», McDonald said in a statement to MAP following talks with foreign minister Nasser Bourita, highlighting trade ties between his country and Morocco. Morocco is also an important partner for the United Kingdom in the security field and an important tourist destination for British nationals whom are nearly 700,000 to visit Morocco each year. The British permanent under-secretary, who is on an official visit to the Kingdom, said he was «very optimistic» about relations between the United Kingdom and Morocco, adding that these solid ties will be further developed in the future. He also noted that discussions with Bourita touched on bilateral affairs as well as regional issues related to the new context of the United Kingdom.
