Morocco, Ethiopia Share Common Values Crucial for Creative, Cultural Industries

Addis Ababa ,November 1/2023(ENA)-Morocco and Ethiopia have deeply rooted common values to develop creative and cultural industries, despite geographical distance between the two nations, Ambassador Nezha Alaoui M’hammdi said. 

In an exclusive interview with the Ethiopian News Agency, the Morocco Ambassador to Ethiopia said the cultural relation between Morocco and Ethiopia is ancient and links the peoples of the two nations.

“The value of heritage is deeply rooted in our identity and it is also a very important component on how we should create creative and cultural industries to create wealth for our economies,” she said.

Despite the geographical distance between the two countries, they are very close in terms of rituals, cultural and social customs, she noted.

According to the ambassador, there is a similarity in musical traditions and social and cultural customs that require more initiatives to strengthen bilateral relations between the countries.  

“If we take music, we use the same instruments such as masinko, kebero, and washint. All of these instruments are used here and in Morocco, which means that despite the geographical distance we have a lot in common that bring us together and let us feel at home like I do here in Ethiopia.” 

Ambassador M’hammdi revealed that there are efforts by both sides to sign a joint cultural agreement, and there is a project that they are working on.

Recalling the visit of Culture and Sport Minister Kejela Merdasa to Rabat, the capital of Morocco last May, she stated that a delegation from Morocco had also visited Ethiopia.

And we have a plan to sign cultural relations between the two countries, she pointed out.

In order to further strengthen the relation between the countries, the ambassador stressed the need for initiatives and visits. 

Ambassador M’hammdi added that Morocco has the political will to strengthen relations at the official level and create initiatives to enhance cultural exchange between the two countries. 

Diplomatic relation between Ethiopia and Morocco was established in the 1960s.