Tangier - Morocco is a role model for Maghreb countries and the southern shore of the Mediterranean in terms of democratic and economic reforms, former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero said Friday.
"Everyone follows with great interest the progress made by Morocco, thanks to its stability and its approach based on dialogue, peace and democratic reforms, to achieve development on all levels," Zapatero told the press on the sidelines of 7th MEDays2014 Forum.
The Former Spanish PM also expressed the wish to see Maghreb unity become a reality "to enable the people of the region to live in peace and stability" and cope with the major challenges through democratic choices, like the case in Morocco.
The European Union relies on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, a region rich with natural resources, to achieve energy integration notably with Morocco, a country that has made great strides in renewable energy, a key element to promote a competitive economy, he underlined.
Zapatero also noted that the future of Europe relies on the other shore of the Mediterranean, a reality that calls on the EU to open up on Africa "to further strengthen political and economic cooperation with the continent, contribute to the process of development and counter extremism".