The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, held talks on Thursday in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, as part of a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and discussing regional and international issues, notably the Moroccan Sahara.
This meeting comes within the framework of the Deepened Strategic Partnership concluded between King Mohammed VI and President Vladimir Putin in March 2016, which has since served as a roadmap for advancing Moroccan-Russian cooperation.
Lavrov emphasized that relations between Morocco and Russia are built on solid foundations of strategic cooperation, noting that they stem from the agreements reached “at the highest level between President Putin and His Majesty King Mohammed VI, both in the Strategic Partnership of 2002 and the Deepened Strategic Partnership of 2016.”
He stressed that Bourita’s visit “reflects the strength and depth of Moroccan-Russian relations,” highlighting that the meeting takes place ahead of the 8th session of the Russian-Moroccan Joint Commission for Economic and Trade Cooperation, which will open on Friday to discuss several areas of mutual interest.
Lavrov said Moscow attaches “exceptional importance” to the ongoing talks, particularly in light of the current instability and tensions across the Middle East and North Africa. “Russia remains ready to help resolve many of these crises and disputes peacefully,” he added.
He further underlined that Russia “places great importance on political coordination with Morocco across various international platforms, including the United Nations,” and that joint work between the two countries requires advancing bilateral agendas and deepening cooperation within the framework of the Arab League.
For his part, Bourita described the discussions as “lengthy and substantive,” noting that both sides addressed a wide range of regional and international issues, foremost among them the Moroccan Sahara question.
The Moroccan minister highlighted that the talks coincided with Russia’s presidency of the UN Security Council, which is scheduled to review the Sahara issue this month. “We agreed that solutions must be consistent with international law,” he said, “but we also agreed that these principles should not be used in ways that obstruct progress toward resolving this five-decade-old dispute.”
Bourita stressed that any solution must take into account the “dynamic momentum” the Sahara file has witnessed under the leadership of King Mohammed VI and the “significant shifts” in the positions of several major and influential countries.
He underlined that Russia remains “a key player in this file, a member of the Group of Friends of the Sahara, a permanent member of the Security Council, and its current president,” adding that discussions on the issue will continue in the coming days.
Beyond the political dimension, both ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to elevating bilateral relations to new heights, in line with the expectations of both Heads of State and the potential for partnership between the two countries.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to review concrete ways to further develop cooperation in areas such as energy, agriculture, education, and investment.
In this context, Bourita and Lavrov signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a Russian-Moroccan Working Committee within their respective Foreign Ministries. The committee will assess ongoing partnerships and propose new high-value areas of cooperation to further deepen bilateral relations.
The two ministers also agreed to maintain regular political dialogue and closely monitor the implementation of signed agreements, ensuring renewed momentum in bilateral cooperation.
Bourita will co-chair, alongside Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev, the 8th session of the Joint Cooperation Commission, which serves as a key mechanism for advancing economic, trade, and scientific ties.
Since King Mohammed VI’s accession to the Throne, Moroccan-Russian relations have witnessed remarkable growth. The Sovereign’s two Royal Visits to Moscow, in 2002 and 2016, marked milestones in establishing and deepening the strategic partnership, while President Putin’s official visit to Morocco in 2006 further reinforced these longstanding ties.
