Morocco, Burkina Faso vow to diversify bilateral cooperation, extend it to counterterrorism
The Foreign Ministers of Morocco and Burkina Faso, Nasser Bourita and Hadizatou Rosine Sori-Coulibaly, have renewed their two countries’ commitment to developing multi-dimensional cooperation at the bilateral, regional, and international levels.
The two ministers made the pledge in a phone conversation on Friday, January 14. “During this meeting, the two ministers welcomed the excellent ties of brotherhood, solidarity, and cooperation between Morocco and Burkina Faso, which have been consolidated in accordance with the instructions of King Mohammed VI and his brother President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, ” Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.
Morocco and Burkina Faso agreed to extend their cooperation to new areas of mutual interest, including the fight against terrorism and radicalism and the implementation of economic, technical-scientific, and cultural projects, the press release said.
The two countries have long-standing bilateral relations and exchanges in the sectors of agriculture, trade, mining, energy, science, and technology.
In 2021, the number of annual scholarships for Burkinabe students in Moroccan universities and higher education and vocational training institutions reached 180.
To facilitate trade and mobility, Morocco and Burkina Faso signed a visa exemption agreement for the benefit of Moroccan and Burkinabe nationals on October 23, 2020.
According to data reported by the news outlet moroccoworldnews, in 2019, the value of Moroccan exports to Burkina Faso reached $83.7 million. The exports included refined petroleum ($27.3 million), insulated wire ($7.81 million), and mineral or chemical fertilizers ($5.89 million).
In the same year, Morocco imported refined petroleum, ($622,000), tropical fruits ($396,000), and non-retailed pure cotton yarn ($129,000) from Burkina Faso. The value of imports reached $1.64 million in 2019, OEC reported.
