Former Malaysian ambassador to Morocco, Astanah Abdul Aziz, was decorated on Thursday the Grand Cordon of Alaouite Wissam, which was awarded to her by King Mohammed VI. This high Royal distinction was presented to Abdul Aziz by the Chargé d'Affaires of the Moroccan Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Mohammed Saidi, at a ceremony held at the Embassy. Saidi stressed that the royal decoration was a sign of recognition of the efforts made by Abdul Aziz throughout her mission in Morocco to strengthen relations between the two countries. For her part, Abdul Aziz said that she was honored by this prestigious royal decoration, expressing her gratitude to King Mohammed VI for bestowing this distinction on her at the end of her mission to Morocco. The Malaysian diplomat underscored the long-standing and brotherly relations between the two countries. She also dwelt on the Kingdom's achievement of the status of sectoral dialogue partner with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), whose presidency will be held by Malaysia in 2025. Morocco is the first North African country to have obtained this status with ASEAN, thus consolidating its position as a privileged interlocutor for this highly important geopolitical and economic grouping.
