  Moroccan–American Treaty of Friendship (Treaty of Marrakesh), 1786–1787 | |
| Signed | 28 June 1786 (1786-06-28), 15 July 1786 (1786-07-15) |
|---|---|
| Location | Marrakesh, Morocco |
| Original signatories | |
TheMoroccan–American Treaty of Peace and Friendship, also known as theTreaty of Marrakesh,[1] was abilateral agreement signed in 1786 that established diplomatic and commercial relations between theUnited States andMorocco.[2] It was the first treaty between the U.S. and an African, Muslim nation and initiated what as of 2025[update] remains the longest unbroken diplomatic relationship in U.S. history.[3]
Nearly a decade before the treaty, on 20 December 1777, Moroccan SultanMohammed III, decreed that American ships could freely enter his kingdom's ports and enjoy safe passage through its waters; and became the firsthead of state to publicly recognize U.S. independence during theAmerican Revolutionary War.[4][5]
Following several overtures by the Sultan, and with the urging ofJohn Adams,John Jay, andBenjamin Franklin, in 1785 theU.S. Congress authorized negotiations for a treaty with Morocco. American diplomatThomas Barclay was chosen to represent the U.S., and with the aid and backing of Spain, met his Moroccan counterpart, Tahir Fannish, inMarrakesh in June 1786. The treaty was finalized within days of Barclay's arrival, sealed by Mohammed III, and signed byThomas Jefferson and John Adams at their respective diplomatic posts in Paris and London; Congress ratified the treaty on 18 July 1787, which was to last fifty years.[6][7]
Muhammad III, or Sidi Muhammad bin Abdallah, came to power in 1757 and ruled until his death in 1790. Prior to his reign,Morocco had experienced 30 years of internecine battles, instability and turmoil. Sidi Muhammad transformed politics, the economy and society by prioritizing development ofinternational trade and restoring power to thesultanate, which improved Morocco's standing internationally.[8] Central to his pursuit of international trade was the negotiation of agreements with foreign commercial powers. He began seeking one with the United States before the war withGreat Britain had ended in 1783, and he welcomed Thomas Barclay's arrival to negotiate in 1786. The treaty signed by Barclay and the sultan and then by Jefferson and Adams was ratified by theConfederation Congress in 1787.[9] It was reaffirmed by the sultan in 1803, when theUSSConstitution,Nautilus,New York, andAdams engaged ingunboat diplomacy as part of theFirst Barbary War. At the time, independentcorsairs andpirates were using Morocco's ports as safe harbors between raids on American and European shipping. As of 2020[update], the treaty has withstood transatlantic stresses and strains for more than 235 years, which makes it the longest unbroken treaty relationship in United States history.[3]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Department of State.
