As anticipated, Morocco's Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Thursday in Moscow. «This meeting is part of the ongoing strategic partnership established between His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, and President Vladimir Putin in March 2016», said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Living Abroad. The two ministers «expressed satisfaction with the quality of their exchanges and the dynamic dialogue and cooperation that characterize Moroccan-Russian relations». They reaffirmed their shared commitment to elevating these ties «to a higher level, in line with the expectations and potential that exist between the two countries», the statement added. At the end of their talks, Bourita and Lavrov signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a Russian-Moroccan working committee between their respective foreign ministries. This new body will evaluate the bilateral partnership, propose areas of high-value cooperation, and monitor the implementation of agreed-upon initiatives. The two ministers also agreed to maintain regular political dialogue and ensure joint follow-up on ongoing projects to give new impetus to the strategic partnership between Rabat and Moscow. Regionally, discussions covered several issues of mutual interest, including the situations in North Africa, the Sahel, and the Middle East. During his opening remarks, Bourita said, «We consider Russia a close and dear partner. We see it as a serious actor on the international stage and, above all, as an honest and trustworthy negotiator». For his part, Sergey Lavrov stressed that Russia attached «particular importance to today's discussions, given the challenging international situation, especially the complex developments in North Africa». He added that Russia was ready to contribute to resolving regional crises «alongside other interested states». This visit by Morocco's foreign minister comes at a critical time, as Russia currently holds the presidency of the UN Security Council, which is set to adopt a new resolution on the Sahara issue at the end of the month.
