In His Talks with Speaker of House of Representatives, Ambassador of Brazil Lauds Pioneering Role of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in Consolidating Rapprochement Between Civilizations and Religions

Speaker of House of Representatives Habib El Malki received, on Wednesday, October 14^th, 2020, at the House’s Headquarters, Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to Morocco Julio Glinternick Bitelli, in a courtesy visit following his appointment as a new ambassador to the Kingdom.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Ambassador lauded the “proactive and courageous measures” undertaken by the Kingdom, under the high instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to contain COVID-19 and limit its repercussions. The Brazilian Diplomat also praised the pioneering role of His Majesty the King in promoting rapprochement between civilizations and religions, noting His Majesty’s keenness to preserve the Moroccan Jewish cultural heritage, and the reception by His Majesty of His Holiness Pope Francis in 2019. He also noted that Morocco and Brazil have long distinguished themselves by their civilizational richness and openness to different cultures.

The Ambassador highlighted that Morocco and Brazil enjoy long-standing relationships that go back to the 19^th century, noting the presence of many Brazilian citizens of Moroccan origins. He also reaffirmed his country’s position on the artificial conflict over the Moroccan Sahara, stating that "Brazil considers the Kingdom’s efforts to resolve this conflict to be serious and credible, and supports the process of a UN settlement to find a fair and realistic solution that is accepted by all parties.”

At the economic level, the Ambassador stressed the existence of great opportunities to develop trade and economic exchanges between the two countries, particularly in the agricultural field, calling for a diversification of economic relations to include new areas such as technology and industry.

For his part, the Speaker of the House of Representatives recalled the historical visit that His Majesty King Mohammed VI performed to Brazil in 2004, which opened new horizons of cooperation between the two countries. He also noted that Morocco was the first African country to recognize Brazil’s independence during the 19^th century, which "reflects the long-standing friendship ties linking the two countries."

Mr. El Malki commended Brazil’s position on the issue of Moroccan Sahara, lauding the support provided by the Brazilian Parliament, through its two Chambers, to the efforts of the Kingdom of Morocco to find a final solution to this artificial conflict, by the vote on two recommendations in favor of the Moroccan plan of autonomy in the southern provinces of the Kingdom.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives expressed, on this occasion, his firm will to consolidate the cooperation between the legislative institutions of the two countries. In this context, he extended an invitation to the President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil to make a working visit to our country, which will be an opportunity to discuss ways to upgrade bilateral relations towards further cooperation and consultation