Relations between Morocco and Sierra Leone have experienced “great development” in recent years thanks to the guidelines of HM King Mohammed VI and His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Expatriates, Nasser Bourita said here Monday.
Bilateral relations are “very positive and we have developed them significantly following the guidelines of the heads of State of the two countries”, Mr. Bourita underlined at a joint press briefing with his Sierra Leonean peer, Timothy Musa Kabba.
In this regard, he pointed out that Morocco “will open an embassy in Sierra Leone before the end of the current month”, adding that the Kingdom will also dispatch a delegation from the Agriculture ministry to support the large-scale food production project launched by President Julius Maada Bio.
In the field of training, Mr. Bourita said that it was decided to increase the number of scholarships awarded to Sierra Leonean students in Morocco from 105 to 120.
It was agreed, during the meeting with Mr. Musa Kabba, to set up a joint committee between the two Foreign ministries to supervise the implementation of the 13 agreements signed during the Joint Commission, held last April in Dakhla, he added, pointing out that a monitoring mechanism will be created, because what is more important, as HM the King always emphasizes, is not the signing of the agreements, but their implementation.
Mr. Bourita noted that his talks with the head of Sierra Leonean diplomacy were also an opportunity to thank Sierra Leone and its president for their constant position regarding the Moroccan Sahara, reaffirmed today by its Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Sierra Leone’s position has always been in favor of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the autonomy plan as the only solution to this artificial dispute, as evidenced by the opening of a consulate general in Dakhla, he said.
Mr. Bourita noted that this position was highly welcomed and appreciated by HM King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan people, as testimony to the solidity of the ties between the two countries.
The two parties also agreed to coordinate their positions regarding the events occurring in West Africa, as well as in view of Sierra Leone’s entry into the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member next January, he added.
In this regard, he affirmed that there will be greater coordination on the issues on the agenda of the Security Council, whether continental, regional on North Africa or concerning the Arab world and the Mediterranean area.
Mr. Bourita stressed that Morocco “will always work with Sierra Leone as a partner and ally on all these issues, to create, as desired by His Majesty the King, a model of South-South cooperation between African countries, endowed with strong content and marked by better coordination and a vision based on common interests and values”.
On this occasion, the minister underlined the particular importance of the working visit carried out by Mr. Musa Kabba to the Kingdom, which comes following the success of the elections in this African country and the re-election of President Julius Maada Bio for a second term.
This new term, he added, is a proof that the achievements of the Sierra Leonean president during his first term have made it possible to restore stability in this country and deliver positive results in terms of economic and social development to the friendly people of Sierra Leone.
The Kingdom of Morocco praises the clear vision of Mr. Maada Bio, who offers promising prospects to Sierra Leone as a hub of stability and development in West Africa, underlined the minister.
This visit, he added, is the first of its kind by Mr. Musa Kabba abroad as head of his country’s diplomacy, stressing that his choice of the Kingdom of Morocco is especially significant and translates the high guidelines of HM King Mohammed VI and the President of Sierra Leone for the development of relations between the two countries.
The minister noted that the visit to the Kingdom of Mr. Musa Kabba comes a few months before Sierra Leone sits on the security council (January 2024), adding that it is an opportunity to congratulate anew this African country for the success of its candidacy as a non-permanent member of the council for the years 2024-2025.
He pointed out that the success and presence of Sierra Leone within the Security Council is proof of the confidence of the international community in the insight and wisdom of the diplomacy of this country and in the vision of its president.
Mr. Bourita also noted that the high guidelines of HM the King focused, from the start, on the support of this candidacy, expressing his happiness over the great success achieved by Sierra Leone during the elections to win a seat of non-permanent member of the Security Council.
These talks took place in the presence of the Ambassador of Sierra Leone to Morocco, Mr. Atumannu Dainkeh, and the Consul General of Sierra Leone in Dakhla, Ms. Zainab Kande.
Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse