RABAT, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan agreed here on Friday to further cement and diversify bilateral partnership.

Speaking at a press conference after talks with Bourita, Sullivan said his country is committed to deepening relations with Morocco, which remains one of the closest U.S. allies in the region.

He stressed that Morocco is a key partner for the U.S. in counterterrorism efforts, and the two countries works closely to safeguard both national security interests.

Beyond military cooperation, the United States consult closely with Morocco on a number of issues of common interest, including regional security and sustainable development.

For his part, Bourita said bilateral relations have witnessed considerable momentum in recent months, especially through the regular exchange of visits, joint military operations and global counterterrorism initiatives.

He noted that economic relations have continued steady development since the enforcement of the bilateral free trade agreement in 2006, the first of its kind between the United States and an African country.

Trade turnover between Morocco and the United States hiked from 1.84 billion U.S. dollars in 2007 to 3.97 billion dollars in 2017, and the U.S.-Moroccan trade represents 5.8 percent of Morocco's total volume.