"It is also a success for the Moroccan diplomacy," Amrani told MAP, noting that the appointment is also "a great responsibility, given the expectations and challenges related to the new regional and international context".

    The candidacy of Amrani, currently secretary general of the Foreign Ministry, was endorsed Wednesday at a meeting of senior EU officials, held at the headquarters of the secretariat of the UfM in Barcelona, Spain.

    France, which co-chairs with Egypt the UfM since its creation in 2008, has "warmly commended" Amrani’s appointment.

    Created on July 13, 2008 on an idea by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the UfM brings together some forty countries, including EU countries, Turkey, Israel and Arab states bordering the Mediterranean.