"The Moroccan-US cooperation has been deep for many years and in many areas, especially in agriculture," Zerhouni said in an exclusive interview with the Moroccan News Agency MAP.

"I came as the US presidential envoy to assess what has been achieved in the field of science and technology and get a sense of Morocco's priorities and to bring that back to the White House, State Department, President Obama, and Hillary Clinton, and to try to find out how best to deepen the relation that we already have with Morocco," he said.

"HM King Mohammed VI and government officials have decided that science and technology is the key to the future," he said.

He underlined that the education ministry stressed the importance to raise the level of education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics not only at the university level, but also at the secondary and primary schools and to collaborate and cooperate more in education, especially in improving the English language skills of children, adding that “we will focus on that as a priority, particularly through Internet and the modern telecommunication.”

The US official also underlined the importance of the cooperation of scientists to scientists, technology to technology, companies to companies, saying that he “was really impressed” when he visited the Technoplis in Salé, where there is “already a plant to build electronic chips, as a result between a US company and a company in Morocco. This kind of relationships should be multiplied,” he affirmed.

He also called for using education, science and technology cooperation to create better economy and jobs based on knowledge.

“Morocco is very unique, as it has signed Free Trade Agreements with the USA and Europe,” he said, adding that “it is very important to use that as a strategic asset.”

This asset should be consolidated through creating connections between companies in the US and Morocco and trying to bring companies to Morocco and export Moroccan products.

“This is happening, and we want to accelerate this process,” he said.

The US envoy said Morocco has other advantages: it has access to the European market, so Morocco can play a role in joining the two markets.

“The FTA needs to be enhanced in finding ways to improve the English skills of Moroccan people and companies. People should know how to connect not only in language, but how to do business in America.

Moroccans have been good in creating business in Europe, especially French speaking countries,” he said.

Zerhouni also noted that skilled labour force, engineers and students who are very good in English, French and Arabic will be good assets for Morocco. “That’s what we would like to develop together,” he said.

“Morocco is a great partner” in the health field, especially in pandemic flu, said Mr. Zerhouni, adding that the USA “can help in public health for the entire population.”

“We have developed quite few programs together,” he added.

The US envoy said “HM the king takes interest in fighting cancer and Her Highness Princess Lalla Salma is very active to bring the best treatments to Morocco.”

“We are cooperating and we want to cooperate in the area of prevention and detection of cancer, but also the other diseases, such as diabetes and heart diseases, that are affecting Morocco more than the past because Morocco has now been economically advanced.”

He noted that the USA “will create centres of excellence in health and public health, particularly in schools and institutes of public health,” underlining that the idea “is not to build anything, but to use what is already here that is working well with people who are very passionate and competent, and then link them with our best centres in America to create a network, not just create one centre isolated from the others, but a whole international network, so we can all respond to the problems today,” he said.