President of the National Council Eric Nussbaumer will make an official visit to Morocco from 20 to 23 May at the invitation of his counterpart, Rachid Talbi El Alami, President of the House of Representatives. Mr Nussbaumer will be accompanied by a delegation from the Office of the National Council. In addition to high-level meetings, the Swiss delegation will have the opportunity to discuss Swiss-Moroccan partnerships and learn more about renewable energy production and the latest developments in research, technology and innovation in Morocco.

Mr Nussbaumer will be received on 20 May in Rabat by his counterpart from the Moroccan House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi El Alami, and President of the Moroccan-Swiss Parliamentary Friendship Group Khadija Oulbacha. A meeting with Naam Miyara, President of the House of Councillors of the Moroccan Parliament, is also planned. Discussions will take place on the respective interests of Switzerland and Morocco as well as on the focus areas of the visit, such as the energy transition and current international affairs. Mr Nussbaumer’s visit to Morocco is part of a mutual desire to strengthen parliamentary relations, the last official meeting having taken place in 2016.

On 21 May, the Swiss delegation will hold talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita and Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali. The delegation will then travel to Ben Guerir to visit the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, which is collaborating on scientific and business projects with the Swiss technical university EPFL, the EHL hospitality business school and various Swiss companies.

In Marrakech, the delegation will have the opportunity to visit the Marrakech-Safi Regional Investment Centre, a project supported by SECO that aims to improve the business environment and encourage start-ups in Morocco. On 23 May, the delegation will visit the Noor Power Station near Ouarzazate. Morocco is a pioneer in the development of renewable energy, and the facility is one of the largest solar power plants in the world, with a capacity of 580 megawatts and supplying electricity to 2 million Moroccans.

The delegation will be made up of the following parliamentarians:

  • Eric Nussbaumer, president of the National Council
  • Maja Riniker, first vice president of the National Council
  • Pierre-André Page, second vice president of the National Council
  • Thomas Aeschi, president of the SVP parliamentary group
  • Samuel Bendahan, co-president SP parliamentary group
  • Philipp Matthias Bregy, president of The Centre parliamentary group
  • Damien Cottier, president of the FDP.The Liberals parliamentary group
  • Corina Gredig, president ​of the GLP parliamentary group
  • Aline Trede, president of The Greens parliamentary group​