On November 7-8, Advisor to the President of the United States of America, Ivanka Trump and CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Sean Cairncross, paid a visit to the Kingdom of Morocco to discuss ways to deepen our bilateral partnership and strategies to advance women’s economic empowerment through the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP). Also in attendance was the Charge d’Affaires of the United States Embassy in Rabat, David Greene.
During the visit, Advisor Trump had an exchange with His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
The delegation reiterated the U.S. appreciation to the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI on critical issues such as peace and security in the Middle East, as well as to ensure peace, stability and development for Africa. Morocco is a major non-NATO ally of the United States. The longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two countries underpins broader U.S. engagement in the region.
Advisor Trump also commended the reform process undertaken by His Majesty King Mohammed VI during the past twenty years, especially on the issue of advancing women’s rights and promoting their economic empowerment. In implementation of the strategic guidelines of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan government has enacted critical reforms that have helped Moroccan women secure greater rights and economic prosperity. Most recently, consistent with the shared goal of inclusive economic growth embodied in the MCC Compact, and the principles of the W-GDP Initiative, the Moroccan Parliament passed important legislation that will improve women's rights to collective lands and allow them to participate in the economic opportunities generated by those lands, notably laws 62.17, 63.17, and 64.17. The U.S. Government delegation congratulated the Moroccan Government on the swift adoption of these laws.
The visit reinforced the shared commitment of the United States and Morocco to advance women's economic empowerment, by working in coordination with the United States' W-GDP, which aims to advance global women's economic empowerment, reaching 50 million women by 2025 through U.S. government activities and private-public partnerships. Through W-GDP, the United States is also committed to working to strengthen the legal and regulatory frameworks that support women's full and free participation in the economy.
Consistent with the spirit of the W-GDP Initiative, the United States and Morocco reiterate their support for legal reforms to advance women's ability to work in the same jobs and sectors as men, and to manage land in the same way as men.
The parties, through MCC’s second Compact in Morocco, signed an Implementation Letter whereby the Government of Morocco committed to adopting the implementing regulations for Law 62.17 in conformance with the terms of the Law, which endorses the principle of equity between women and men in relation to land rights. Further, the parties agreed to work together to support the development of a National Land Strategy in a manner to further women’s participation in the economy through their improved access to land in Morocco. In the Implementation Letter, the parties also agreed that funds from the MCC Compact would be made available to establish a Land Gender Inclusion Center which, among other activities, will collect, analyze and use data to support future policy making that will further increase women’s inclusion in land-related economic growth.
Through its second Compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, women's economic empowerment is a core component, consistent with the objectives of W-GDP. The Government of Morocco will continue to demonstrate its commitment to empowering Moroccan women through improved access to secure land rights and workforce programs for women that provide skills development and job placement opportunities, and by removing legal and regulatory barriers. The United States will continue to support Morocco's commitment to inclusive economic growth that empowers and integrates women into the local and national economy.
During the high-level delegation's visit, the United States was pleased to announce, in partnership with the Government of Morocco, the selection of grant recipients for the Results Based Financing Jobs Fund. The Fund, supported by the Millennium Challenge Corporation and together with the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Integration, the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Administration Reform, the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment (ANAPEC), and administered through the Millennium Challenge Account - Morocco, uses an innovative results-based approach for supporting providers of job training and placement services for out-of work Moroccan women.
The parties also announced that the Millennium Challenge Corporation will, together with the Millennium Challenge Account — Morocco and the Ministry of Education, implement a Women in Science (WiSci) camp, supported by Google and Intel, next summer in Morocco. The camp will include girls from Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire, and the United States.
The United States and Morocco are pleased to continue their longstanding partnership to further these shared objectives. Morocco and the United States agreed to work closely together to enhance their strategic partnership to advance women's economic empowerment and entrepreneurship.
Advisor Trump and CEO Cairncross met during their visit with members of the Moroccan Government including the Head of the Government, Saad Dine El Otmani, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Living Abroad, Nasser Bourita.