Morocco, Russia Beef up Strategic Partnership with 11 Cooperation agreements

Morocco and Russia signed 11 cooperation agreements in the fields of customs, agriculture, trade, energy efficiency, renewable energies, nuclear energy as well as military cooperation.

The agreements were signed at a Moroccan-Russian working session chaired by Head of the Government Saad Eddine EL Othmani and Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev who paid an official working and friendship visit to Morocco this October 10-11.

The agreements are also part of the momentum created by the visit paid by King Mohammed VI to Russia in March 2016 during which a deep strategic partnership was declared between the two countries.

In a statement to the press following the signing ceremony, El Othmani underscored Morocco’s willingness to build on the momentum ushered by the visits paid by King Mohammed VI to Russia in 2002 and 2016 and the visit paid by President Putin to Morocco in 2006.

He said prospects are promising for bolstering ties between the two countries in the priority areas of energy, industry and agriculture, noting that Morocco attaches utmost importance to upgrading its military and security ties with Russia.

The Head of the Moroccan government also stressed the need to boost Morocco’s agricultural exports to Russia.

For his part, Russian Prime minister underscored Morocco’s place as a key strategic partner for Russia in the MENA region, saying that his country is willing to reinforce cooperation with the kingdom in strategic fields such as peaceful uses of nuclear energy and LNG supply.

He also expressed Russia’s willingness to share expertise with Morocco in the field of industry and strengthen cooperation in the military and security areas.

Morocco’s total trade volume with Russia rose from some $200 million in 2001 to about $2.5 billion in 2016.