Russia, Morocco firmly determined to further strengthen their traditionally cordial ties, trust & strategic partnership – Russian FM

Russian minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, reiterated, on Thursday in Moscow, the firm determination of Russia and Morocco to continue working together to further strengthen the traditionally friendly ties, trust, and strategic partnership between the two countries.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita after their talks, Lavrov said they had discussed trade and economic exchanges.

“We have a mutual interest in increasing the volume of trade and seeking areas for reciprocal investment,” he said, adding that the two sides “agreed that the potential for practical cooperation in these areas is far from exhausted.”

Regarding the 8th session of the Morocco-Russia Intergovernmental Joint Commission, set to be co-chaired on Friday by Bourita and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Patrushev, the head of Russian diplomacy said that he “expects good results.”

“We have noted with satisfaction the high level of interaction in a whole range of other areas,” Lavrov said, citing in particular the education sector, with 4,250 Moroccan students currently studying in Russia.

“We have stable and trusting contacts between our foreign ministries, particularly at the UN, but also at other international platforms, including the Russia-Africa and Russia-League of Arab States forums,” he said, emphasizing that the Memorandum of Understanding that has just been signed on the creation of a Russian-Moroccan Working Committee between the foreign ministries will strengthen interaction and coordination between the two parties in the interests of deepening the strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Morocco.

Lavrov pointed out that the next year will mark the tenth anniversary of the Joint Declaration adopted at the highest level on the deepening of the strategic partnership, noting that this anniversary will be marked by a series of events, including exchanges of visits between sectoral departments and intensified contacts between parliamentarians, in addition to the organization of Russian Culture Days in Morocco.