Russia describes Morocco as an “important partner” in Africa on eve of Foreign Minister’s visit to Moscow

The Russian Federation considers Morocco to be “an important partner” on the African continent, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out in a statement, issued on Wednesday on the eve of the visit to Moscow by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.

The ministry indicated that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with Nasser Bourita on Thursday in Moscow, during which they are expected to conduct an in-depth discussion on promising avenues for the future development of the traditionally friendly Russian-Moroccan relations.

The statement also noted that Bourita will co-chair, together with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev, the 8th session of the Russian-Moroccan Intergovernmental Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the leaders of both countries, King Mohammed VI and President Vladimir Putin, “are bound by long-standing relations founded on friendship and mutual respect.”

In this regard, the ministry recalled that the King made two visits to Russia, in October 2002 and in March 2016, during which a Declaration on Strategic Partnership and a Declaration on Enhanced Strategic Partnership were signed. These have become key programmatic documents defining the priorities for the future development of bilateral relations for decades to come.

For his part, President Vladimir Putin paid an official visit to Morocco in September 2006, the statement said.

High-level Moroccan delegations, led by the Head of Government, also participated in the Russia–Africa summits in 2019 and 2023, the Russian Foreign Ministry recalled.

During their talks, Lavrov and Bourita will also exchange views on current regional and international issues, particularly the resolution of conflicts and crisis situations in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Sahel-Saharan region through exclusively political and diplomatic means.

Special attention is expected to be given to practical issues concerning the expansion of trade and economic cooperation, as well as ways to fully harness existing potential, the statement explained.

Recalling the close coordination established between officials of the Russian and Moroccan foreign ministries, the Russian department highlighted the regular meetings between Lavrov and Bourita, notably on the sidelines of UN General Assembly events, as well as their telephone conversations.

The Russian side expressed hope that Nasser Bourita’s visit to Russia will further strengthen the multidimensional partnership with Morocco and promote joint efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace and stability in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Sahel region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.