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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 29909, member: 2262"] Congress just introduced a bill to celebrate 250 years since Morocco first accepted the United States as a country in 1777. Representatives Brad Schneider from Illinois and Joe Wilson from South Carolina started the bill, which went to the Foreign Affairs Committee. They want everyone to know that on December 1, 2027, our nations will have kept friendly ties for two and a half centuries. During the Revolutionary War, Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah let American ships use Moroccan ports beginning December 1, 1777. This marked the official start of our friendship. The Continental Congress wrote its first letter to Morocco in December 1780, saying America wanted peace and friendship with the kingdom. Both countries made it official in July 1787 with the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, also called the Treaty of Marrakech. This agreement stands as the oldest deal still active in American history. Later, in 1821, Morocco gave America its first property abroad - the American Legation in Tangiers - which became a lasting symbol of our friendship. The bill points out how we work together on many things like keeping the region safe, fighting terrorists, trading goods, and sharing culture. Morocco remains the only African nation with a free trade agreement with America, signed in 2006, which helped farm products flow better between our countries. Morocco also protects its Jewish communities and helps teach people about the Holocaust. Our armies train together during Operation African Lion, and we team up to stop nuclear weapons from spreading. The bill also praises Morocco for joining the Abraham Accords and helping create stability in its region. This resolution shows how Morocco stands as a key friend to America in both Africa and the Arab world, proving our relationship has deep roots across centuries. [/QUOTE]

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