Morocco plays an important role in the international fight against terrorism, and cooperation with the country will help stop waves of African illegal migrants from entering Europe, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó said.
Hungary continues to urge the European Union to cooperate with African countries more closely, Szijjártó said on Facebook after talks with Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita. The EU should cooperate without attaching political conditions in order to prevent further waves of migrants, he said. Szijjártó said he had told Bourita that Hungary is tripling its participation in EU operations in the Sahel with a view to reducing migration pressure from the Sub-Sahara region. “We have always supported the creation of peace in the Middle East because it is crucial for European security,” he said. He added that Hungary had welcomed Morocco and Israel settling their bilateral relations late last year. He noted that Bourita had planned a March visit to Budapest in person but the coronavirus epidemic had forced them to communicate over the phone instead. Morocco, he said, was ranked number one in Africa in terms of the number of vaccinations administered, partly due to the fact that the country had also approved the use of Eastern vaccines. He said he and Bourita had always come to an easy understanding because “both represent governments that pursue patriotic policies, giving priority to national interests and not giving in to international pressure.”
Szijjártó welcomed the fact that Moroccan youth continued to express interest in scholarships in Hungary, with nearly 620 applications received for 150 places.
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