US Embassy celebrates historic Morocco US relations on State Department anniversary

The Morocco US relations were placed in the spotlight as the US Embassy in Rabat marked the 237th anniversary of the US Department of State, highlighting one of Washington’s longest standing diplomatic partnerships and reaffirming the historic ties between the two countries.

In a statement published on Sunday, the embassy described Morocco as “America’s oldest friend,” recalling that the Kingdom became the first country to recognize the independence of the United States in 1777. It added that the relationship, rooted in the 1786 Moroccan American Treaty of Peace and Friendship, continues to promote cooperation, mutual respect, and shared prosperity nearly 250 years later.

The embassy noted that the treaty remains the longest unbroken diplomatic treaty in US history. It represents a relationship that predates the formal establishment of diplomatic ties between many modern states and reflects centuries of political dialogue and economic cooperation.

The foundations of the partnership date back to the American Revolution. In December 1777, Sultan Mohammed III authorized ships sailing under the American flag to enter Moroccan ports, making Morocco the first foreign nation to formally recognize the newly independent United States. The decision encouraged commercial exchanges and opened the door to future diplomatic relations.

Although both sides expressed interest in expanding their ties, negotiations advanced gradually. In 1784, Moroccan authorities seized an American merchant vessel, prompting diplomatic discussions that eventually led to the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1786.

Relations continued to deepen during the nineteenth century. Morocco later donated a building in Tangier to serve as the American diplomatic mission. Known today as the Tangier American Legation Museum, the site is the only US National Historic Landmark located outside the United States and reflects the enduring nature of bilateral relations.

Cooperation expanded further during the Second World War, when American forces operated in Morocco as part of the North African campaign. Today, the two countries maintain close defense cooperation through joint military exercises, security coordination, and counterterrorism partnerships.

Economic relations have also strengthened. According to the latest US trade figures, total trade in goods and services between Morocco and the United States reached an estimated $9.2 billion in 2024, representing a 26.5 percent increase compared with the previous year. US goods exports to Morocco rose to $5.5 billion in 2025, while imports totaled $1.9 billion, resulting in a US goods trade surplus of $3.7 billion.

The embassy’s anniversary message underlined that the partnership continues to evolve across diplomacy, trade, security, and regional cooperation, building on one of the oldest continuously maintained bilateral relationships in American diplomatic history.