Yesterday, Morocco's ambassador to Russia, Lotfi Bouchaara, met with Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian President's Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister. «During the meeting, several practical matters concerning the development of the traditionally friendly Russian-Moroccan relations were discussed, including the schedule of upcoming contacts at various levels», the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Regarding the situation in North Africa and the Sahara-Sahel region, the Russian side reaffirmed its commitment to supporting crisis resolution through political and diplomatic means, in accordance with the fundamental principles of international law. Moscow also emphasized «the central role of the United Nations» in addressing these regional challenges. On Wednesday, Bogdanov also discussed the Western Sahara issue with the Mauritanian ambassador in Moscow. As a reminder, last January, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Russia's readiness to «help Morocco find a solution to the Western Sahara issue». He stressed that the conflict «can only be resolved through mutual consent», during a press conference reviewing Russia's foreign policy in 2024. The UN Security Council is expected to vote in October on a new resolution to extend the mandate of MINURSO for another year.
