Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita affirmed Tuesday in Rabat that Morocco and the Sultanate of Oman are pursuing the same ambition to attain more global goals and a promising long-term partnership to keep pace with the transformations that the world is undergoing, especially in the fields of trade, investment and business within the framework of globalization and economic blocs.

Bourita, who co-chaired the 6th Morocco-Omani Joint Commission meeting with his Omani counterpart Badr Bin Hamad Bin Hamoud Al-Busaidi, pointed out that other sectors such as energy, renewable energy, digital economy and agriculture offer promising opportunities for bilateral cooperation, in line with the farsighted vision of the two countries’ leaders and their determination to ensure the success of their visions of progress and sustainable development.

Bourita, who expressed his satisfaction with the results achieved so far, stressed the importance of involving all economic actors in the economic dynamism of both countries, as well as exploiting all investment opportunities in both countries, calling on the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) and the Omani Chamber of Commerce and Industry to activate the Moroccan-Omani Business Council and promote joint investments in all fields.

He also highlighted the achievements of the Sultanate of Oman under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haïtham Ben Tariq and the country’s leading role in promoting regional and international peace and security in support of a clear vision based on dialogue and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and respect for their territorial integrity.

In this regard, he noted that the two countries share the same principles and values in their relations with various partners.

The Minister also congratulated the Sultanate of Oman on its assumption of the rotating presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is linked to Morocco by a strategic partnership and is regarded as one of the tributaries of cooperation between Morocco and the sister countries of the Gulf, expressing his conviction that the Sultanate of Oman’s presidency of the current session will contribute to the enrichment of joint action and the strengthening of fruitful partnership relations with the Kingdom.

Today’s meeting has special significance, given that it coincides with the 28th anniversary of the creation of the Moroccan-Omani Joint Commission on June 27, 1995, as well as the second meeting in which the chairmanship of the Joint Commission was entrusted to the two Foreign Ministers following the Muscat session on January 6 and 7, 2019.

This 6th session is also intended as a consecration of the two countries’ determination to hold this commission on a regular basis as the main mechanism for consolidating bilateral cooperation in the various economic, cultural, technical and social fields, while developing the means of action and broadening the partners, the aim being to raise cooperation to the level of the aspirations of the two Heads of State, stressed Bourita.

The Minister also affirmed that the Kingdom is pleased with the privileged level of relations between the two brotherly countries, marked by permanent coordination and consultation, and continued solidity, highly praising the positive positions of support that have always been expressed by the Sultanate of Oman on the question of the Moroccan Sahara, both bilaterally and within a multilateral framework.

In this regard, he recalled the message of thanks and gratitude sent by HM the King to Sultan Haitham bin Tariq bin Taimur, for his country’s firm support for the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, expressed by the leaders of the Gulf countries at the 42nd session of the GCC Supreme Council, held in Riyadh.

The Minister also highlighted the positive development of bilateral relations in a number of areas, notably education, which is one of the sectors reflecting these distinguished relations, noting that the 2022-2023 academic year saw an increase to 156 in the number of Omani students enrolled in various specialties, while the number of graduates from Moroccan universities and institutes in recent years has reached 407, including 31 last year.

On this occasion, the Minister announced that the number of teaching seats devoted to the brotherly sultanate of Oman would be increased to 100, instead of the current 50.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse