RABAT, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) — Morocco has formally joined the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), local media reported on Wednesday.

According to daily le Matin, the Moroccan Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nasser Bourita, signed on the sidelines of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits, which is being held in Vientiane, Laos on Sept 6-8, on the instruments of Morocco's accession to the Treaty TAC.

Morocco's accession to the treaty is within the framework of Morocco's strategic vision aiming at diversifying its partnerships at all levels, the daily quoted Bourita as saying.

In recent years, Morocco has adopted various initiatives aiming at opening up to new political and economic regions and consolidates its strategic partnerships as key pillars of its foreign policy, Bourita added.

The adherence, which follows an official request made by Morocco on April 28, 2014, makes of Morocco the first African and Arab country to join the Treaty.