Belgium “gives yet again” millions to Morocco, party leader wonders why
Belgium continues to fund cooperation programs in Morocco. But Conner Rousseau, president of the Flemish socialist party Vooruit, is openly questioning the value of maintaining this aid.
In an interview with Humo, later reported by Redactie247, the Belgian leader defends development aid as a tool enabling Europe to forge alliances and strengthen its influence. But, in his view, the money should go to countries deemed truly strategic.
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“It must be done in the right way and in the right countries,” he says, before directly citing Morocco: “So we can ask ourselves what we are still doing in Morocco in this area.”
Millions of euros still allocated to Morocco
Belgian cooperation with the Kingdom nevertheless remains active. According to the latest figures from Belgian diplomacy, around 4 million euros in official development assistance were allocated to Morocco in 2024.
The Belgian agency Enabel is also running a program covering the 2023-2028 period, with initiatives notably focusing on the economic inclusion of young people and women, agriculture, the digitization of the administration, migration and entrepreneurship.
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For Conner Rousseau, the debate goes beyond Morocco. In the face of China, Russia and the United States’ growing influence in Africa, he wants Europe to make greater use of development aid to defend its own geopolitical interests. It is within this logic that he is now questioning Morocco’s place among the beneficiaries.
