Morocco, Slovenia agree to open embassies in Ljubljana and Rabat

Morocco and Slovenia agreed to strengthen their political and economic partnership and decided to open embassies in their respective capitals, Rabat and Ljubljana.

The decision was made Tuesday in Rabat during talks between visiting Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and her Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita.

“We welcome Slovenia’s decision to open an embassy in Rabat. This is also an opportunity for the Kingdom to announce its decision to open an embassy in Ljubljana,” said Nasser Bourita, at a press briefing following the talks.

Bourita, who noted that bilateral relations have developed over the past ten years, expressed hope that “the two embassies will open at the beginning of 2025, at the latest,” and pointed out that the move will “give new momentum to bilateral ties that have existed for over 30 years and strengthen the political dialogue between the two parties.”

These relations have always been based on “mutual respect and fruitful partnership,” he said, recalling that “King Mohammed VI has always called for the diversification of Morocco’s partnerships within the European Union, and relations with Slovenia are part of this diversification.” He also welcomed the fact that Slovenia is “among Morocco’s credible partners.”

Nasser Bourita noted that the two capitals share “a convergence of views on regional and international issues, particularly at multilateral meetings and regarding the strengthening of consultation.” However, on the economic front, he lamented the insufficiency of exchanges and stressed the importance of further strengthening bilateral cooperation and making the most of economic potential particularly in the automotive, aeronautics, industry, tourism, food security, and pharmaceutical sectors.
In this connection, the Foreign Minister proposed the holding of a business forum for economic operators from both countries.
He also highlighted Slovenia’s role in promoting Morocco’s relations with the European Union, reaffirming that the country has always been an active player in the development of the Kingdom’s relations with the EU, in favor of a balanced and mutually beneficial partnership based on common interests and understanding of each party’s priorities.

Echoing Bourita, the Slovenian Foreign Minister, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, described relations between Morocco and Slovenia as “excellent” and expressed her country’s desire to develop bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation with the Kingdom in various areas of common interest.

Morocco is one of Slovenia’s most important trade partners at the African and Mediterranean levels, she said, expressing the wish to see this momentum extended to other key sectors, including economy, tourism, culture, and education.

With regard to relations between Morocco and the EU, Fajon welcomed the Kingdom’s role in its “important and balanced” partnership with the EU.

As highlighted in the joint communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the Slovenian official also addressed the resolution of the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara based on the autonomy initiative and Moroccan sovereignty.

In this regard, she stated that Slovenia welcomes the Moroccan autonomy plan as “a good basis for reaching a definitive and consensual solution” to the regional dispute over the Sahara, under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General and his personal envoy.

The minister also praised Morocco’s serious and credible efforts to achieve a political, realistic, pragmatic, durable, mutually acceptable solution based on compromise to the Sahara issue.

The two ministers insisted on the UN-exclusive role in the political process engaged for the settlement of the Sahara conflict on the basis of the UN Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2703 of October 30, 2023.

Slovenia is the 16th European Union country that supports the “serious and credible” Autonomy Plan presented by Morocco in 2007 as the only acceptable and doable solution to the Sahara regional conflict.

The Slovenian Foreign Minister is paying an official visit to Morocco, at the invitation of Bourita, to mark the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.