The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, held talks on Thursday in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.

This meeting is part of the Deepened Strategic Partnership concluded between His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, and President Vladimir Putin in March 2016.

The two ministers praised the impetus provided by the two Heads of State, whose vision continues to nourish and guide this flourishing partnership.

MFA Bourita and Lavrov welcomed the quality of their discussions and the dialogue and cooperation dynamics that characterize Moroccan-Russian relations.

They both reaffirmed their shared willingness to elevate these relations to a higher level, in line with the expectations and the existing potential between the two countries.

The meeting provided an opportunity to thoroughly review ways to further develop bilateral ties, by fully leveraging their potential and building on the historical friendship and fruitful cooperation they have bolstered.

In concrete terms, the two ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a Russian-Moroccan Working Committee between their respective Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The role of this body will be to assess the partnership and make proposals to identify new high-value areas of cooperation, with the aim of deepening bilateral relations and projecting them resolutely into the future.

The ministers also agreed to maintain regular political dialogue and to jointly monitor the concluded agreements, with a view to injecting renewed momentum into their cooperation and the strategic partnership between Morocco and Russia.
Furthermore, MFA Bourita and Lavrov discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest, particularly in North Africa, the Sahel region, and the Middle East.

These talks are part of the ongoing dialogue and regular exchanges between the two ministers, whether in Morocco, Russia, or on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

During his stay in Moscow, Bourita is also co-chairing the 8th session of the Joint Cooperation Commission between the two countries, alongside Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev.

It’s worth recalling that since His Majesty King Mohammed VI ascended the Throne, the relations between Morocco and Russia have experienced significant growth.

The Sovereign has made two Royal Visits to Moscow, in October 2002 and March 2016, respectively marked by the conclusion of the Strategic Partnership, and later, the Deepened Strategic Partnership.

President Vladimir Putin, for his part, paid an official visit to Morocco in September 2006.