Introduction
The U.S. foreign policy consists of different sets of rules that guide the manner in which the nation relates with the international community. These rules which are made up of international treaties, protocols and conventions, general and specific regional agreements are aimed at addressing the various aspects of human interests in the U.S. and their respective foster nation. In nation that pledges to embrace the same rules and views of the U.S. concerning social, economic and political approaches in their relation to international activities is allowed to build ties with the U.S.
America continues to play a major role in the worlds’ social economic development; almost every nation has its embassy in the U.S. territory. As such, its influence in the modern activities around the globe is relatively not arguable. Approximately 3.3% of the worlds’ wealth is concentrated in the United States major cities. The U.S. foreign policies are therefore formed with the general objective of protecting the country’s interest against the international community. All foreign policies in the U.S. are legalized by the President after going through a number of procedures.
Moroccan Foreign Policy
Like other countries, the Moroccan Foreign Policy (MFP) is the set of rules and regulations that guides the relationship between the Kingdom of Morocco and other countries. The countries are called actors in this regard. Such countries which form part of Moroccan international relations could be interested in various interactions with the country. For example, trade partnership, political alliance, cultural exchanges and regional integration among other activities. Due to the competitiveness of ideal and actions in the international policy making for a, Moroccan foreign policy is designed to safeguard the interests of its people while drawing consensus on the principles and policies adopted for international relations. This way it implements policies within suitable frameworks that allow it to realistically pursue its mapped out growth and development strategies with minimal reproach from their respective partners (Steinmetz, 1994, p. 24).
A number of authorities and institutions are involved in the Moroccan international policy making processes. With participation at various levels, such institutions as U.S. trade and development Agency USTDA, IFC, TMCA just to name a few, are among the participants who also draw from the parliament and various ministries including, Moroccan Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Economic Upgrading, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Foreign Trade and National affairs to make up consultative committees which provide recommended policies to the Prime Minister. Having gained acceptance, the proposal is presented to His Majesty the King for accent. It is the King who ratifies international policies into law in Morocco. After this procedure the law comes to force and all the actors involved are expected to be equal implementers of the policy (Zimmerman, 2007, p. 55).
Key actors in Moroccan foreign policy making and implementation are: the Western Africa States also known as the Maghreb, the U.S., France, Spain, United Arab Emirates and the EU nations. Given the geographical location of Morocco; at the far North Western part of Africa, it also enjoys a 3000km shoreline stretching through the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, its international relations with these actors is mainly trade and economic motivated as opposed to pursuit for political affiliations. Morocco has signed various bilateral and multilateral s trade agreements and other conventions and protocols concerning onshore and offshore activities. All these regulations are put in place as benchmarks for mutual bases for smooth international functioning of both Morocco and the Maghreb states and the wider EU and USA partners (The American Chamber of Commerce in Morocco, 2007, p. 28).
Recup The Moroccan Foreign Policy (For Presentation On Week 3, Discussion Board)
The Core National interests of Morocco in its International Relations are to protect its domestic producers from market infiltration and subsequent concentration of foreign products in the local market, and to keeps its politics and government system from infiltration of extremists’ ideas which would otherwise interfere with its long stable and peaceful monarchy. Other interests then relate to social issues and environmental affairs in general (Nonneman, 2005, p. 45).
It is in the heart of Moroccan government and the king’s interest to maintain a stable government by allowing democratic system through an autonomous government headed by the prime minister charged with the responsibility of granting equal human rights to every person. In international policies, the kingdom is the most pronounced Arab State with policies against Terrorism outright. It therefore forms relations with the European Union, and the U.S. where the states security is guided by the principles of war against Terror (Nonneman, 2005, p. 48).
Concerning global trade, Morocco has of recently signed agreements to multilateral free Trade between itself and the U.S., EU, France and Turkey among other states particularly in the Maghreb. The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is meant to protect foreign investor in Morocco and to give Moroccan confidence to invest in their country through drastically reduced cost of doing business. In order to span ling term development and to experience economic growth, this policy allows Morocco to pursue development in its modern technology sector and improve its infrastructure (Nolan, 2004, p. 37).
Other sector based plans which call for international interventions like the presently pursued Azur Plan and the Emergence Programs are formed with consideration of foreign policies in play between Morocco and the affected nations. For instance, the Emergence Plan focuses on off-shoring and specialty electronics. Therefore it is expected to comply with maritime conventions that morocco is a party to.
Among its interests is to keep international policies adopted from compromising or undermining its national goals and sustainable development strategies already in practice. For instance, ports upgrading plans should not be sacrificed at the cost of any foreign policies to be adopted by Moroccans, be it marine or terrestrial treaty or protocol. It is therefore remains the role of the King to seek policies that are keen at addressing its developmental plans. Understanding the socio-economic implication of the policies adopted by the country’s entrepreneurs and the civil society is equally important in the policy implementation process (Duiker, 2007, p. 334).
Accepting certain policies would only favor the foster nations while hindering the progress of host nations (in this case Morocco). The case is particularly clear while considering investments by MNCs and TNCs. Since foreign policies strongly interlink with globalization, it is necessary to preserve a people’s culture from the Euphoria of universality. The impacts of foreign policies in local organizations and consider alternative policies (The American Chamber of Commerce in Morocco, 2007, p. 8).
Recap The Moroccan Foreign Policy (For Presentation On Week 4, Discussion Board)
After the Second World War, each country and region mapped out its development path. Every strategy adopted was aimed at countering economic challenges and addressing the political dynamism that the world was left battling with. According to Pastor (1999), the prevailing conditions present six possible strategies from which a country can proceed to undertake its plans of actions. These are globalization, clash civilization, New World Order, Democratic Peace, Pan Regions and States (Pastor, 1999, p. 405)
Globalization strategy proposes an open market system where a foreign nation is permitted to operate in another country as it would in its own, economically and social while allowing for political transformations to pace up to the demands of the foreign country. In essence it propagates space time convergence defying cultural and social values. Globalization also tends to overrides narrow range of ideological views. Clash civilization emphasizes unique cultural values, ideological differences and political views by upholding the practices of dominant civilized culture. (Pauly, 2005, p. 118)
New World Order which has its roots in the 1940s views the world affairs as being managed by central institutions like WTO and The Bretton Woods Institutions-IMF & WB. These and other powerful institutions are set up by high profile world leaders to consolidate powers one single nations with economic dominance and political say in order to govern the whole world. Democratic Peace however, advocates for human rights in a free and fair world. It is closely related to the NWO in the sense that it seeks to guarantee individuals autonomy regardless of there origin. Pan regions theory proposes regional grouping and integration based on common interests and proximity of locations (Pauly, 2005, p. 120).
The kingdom of Morocco relates to many varied and diverse nations across the world, particularly in the Mediterranean region, Maghreb, and U.S.A. in order for the country to pursue its national goals and long term objectives peace fully while at the same time maintain the existing productive international associations, the country should adopt the Democratic Peace in its framework towards forging international policies. Considering nations like, the US which recently signed a pack with Morocco, guaranteeing it more than $700 million in a FTA plan and EU. The country is encouraged to map out its stipulations according to principles that embrace democracy and assures the international community of adequate peaces by increased freedom within the existing democratic space. Organizations’ conspiracies that put the partners in limbo are usually eliminated by this approach because it promotes transparency and accountability in most aspects.
Conclusion
International relations policies are cast in such a mutual understanding that Democratic peace is the most suitable principle to strike the balance in the international and local interests that competitively underpin the policy making process.
Morocco is one of the outstanding partners between America and the Arab world. The manner in which they treat this international relationship has a lot of impression in the rest of Muslim dominated states as it informs their view to the next revolution that may sweep the world. It therefore matters how the policies are formed and implemented for prosperity and posterity of either of the nations.
Reference
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Nolan, C. (2004),Power and responsibility in world affairs: reformation versus transformation, USA. Praeger Publishers.
Nonneman, G. (2005) Analyzing Middle East foreign policies and the relationship with Europe New York, USA: Routledge.
Pastor, R. (1999) A Century’s Journey: How the Great Powers Shape the World in Presidential Studies Quarterly, 30(2):404-406. Web.
Pauly, R. (2005) US foreign policy and the Persian Gulf: safeguarding American interests, Burlington, USA. Ashgate Publishing Limited.
Senghaas, D. (1998). The clash within civilizations: coming to terms with cultural Conflicts, New York, USA. Routledge.
Steinmetz, S., (1994) Democratic transition and human rights: perspectives on U.S. foreign policy, State University Plaza, USA: University of New York Press.
The American Chamber of Commerce in Morocco (AmCham), The AmCham Morocco Trade and Investment Guide 2007, Rabat, pp. 6-128
Zimmerman, J. (2007). Fundamentals of Business Law 8th Ed. Approaches to Future Space Cooperation and Competition in a Globalizing Mason. Stamford, Mass: USA. Cengage Learning.