Sierra Leone to open embassy in Rabat, consulate in Dakhla
Foreign Minister of Sierra Leone David Francis announced this Thursday from Morocco that his country will open an embassy in Rabat and a consulate general in Dakhla.
Mr. Francis made the announcement at the end of talks with his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita Thursday afternoon in Rabat.
According to press reports, Sierra Leone’s consulate general in Dakhla will be inaugurated next Monday, August 30.
“In view of the distinguished relations between our two countries, Sierra Leone will proceed with the official opening of an embassy in Rabat and a consulate general in Dakhla,” he said during a joint press briefing with Bourita.
For Sierra Leone, “the Sahara is a territory under the sovereignty of Morocco,” he added.
He also highlighted the “special” aspect of relations between the two countries, whose leaders, King Mohammed VI and President Julius Maada Bio, are endeavoring to strengthen further these credible and long-standing links.
For his part, Bourita welcomed Sierra Leone’s decision to open a consulate general in Dakhla, stressing that through this decision, relations between the two countries are now experiencing a “qualitative leap.”
“This is the 25th consular representation to open in the southern provinces of Morocco in recent months”, noted Bourita, adding that “this attests to the continuing support to the Moroccanness of the Sahara at the international level, especially at the African level.”
During their meeting, the two parties signed a roadmap for cooperation between Morocco and Sierra-Leone with the aim of consolidating bilateral relations in several areas, including education and training; technical cooperation; economic promotion and investments.
The roadmap also covered cooperation in the field of security.
Since December 2019, scores of countries have set up consular representations in the Moroccan Sahara cities of Dakhla and Laayoune, moves that translate these countries’ support to Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara provinces.
