After thirteen years of waiting, Morocco and Senegal are set to convene the 15th session of the Morocco–Senegal Joint High Commission. This revival comes amid a context of heightened sensitivity following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, held on January 18 in Rabat, where the Atlas Lions were defeated by the Lions of Teranga. DR ‹ › Morocco and Senegal are keen to move past the controversy surrounding the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, held on January 18 in Rabat. In this context, the 15th session of the Morocco–Senegal Joint High Commission will take place in Rabat on January 26 and 27. The meeting was scheduled following a phone conversation on Wednesday evening between Morocco's Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, and his Senegalese counterpart, Ousmane Sonko. In a statement, the Moroccan government presidency announced that a Morocco–Senegal Economic Forum will be held on the sidelines of this session. The phone call underscored «the depth of the exceptional and strategic relations that unite Morocco and Senegal», under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and the President of the Republic of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The two heads of government also highlighted the strength of bilateral ties, rooted in solid human, religious, and economic bonds. For his part, the Senegalese Prime Minister stated in a communiqué following the exchange that «the Government of Senegal informs that it is closely monitoring, in coordination with accredited consular and diplomatic services and the Moroccan authorities, the situation of supporters detained in Rabat, as well as that of Senegalese nationals residing in Morocco». He also called for caution regarding the circulation of information, «particularly on social media and in certain media outlets, where misinformation is prevalent». «We therefore call on our respective compatriots and all friends to approach this episode with calm. It must not, under any circumstances, go beyond the sporting context», the statement added. «Our shared challenges are far more important. This is why we mutually welcome the holding of the 15th session of the Joint High Commission between the two states from January 26 to 28 in Rabat, under the effective joint presidency of the two Prime Ministers». Senegalese President praises Morocco's hospitality A day before the phone exchange between the two heads of government, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed his gratitude to Morocco during a ceremony honoring the Lions of Teranga, winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nation«On behalf of the Senegalese people, I express our gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI and the brotherly Moroccan people for the welcome, hospitality, and attention extended to our delegation and all the participating teams», he said. The last session of the Morocco–Senegal Joint High Commission was held in July 2013 in Dakar. Reviving this bilateral cooperation mechanism was a key topic during the meeting held on November 10, 2025, in Rabat between Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Senegalese counterpart, Cheikh Niang. Following that meeting, the two ministers announced, in a joint communiqué, «the holding of the 15th session of the Morocco–Senegal Joint High Commission to review cooperation projects and identify new areas likely to diversify and strengthen the existing strategic partnership between the two brotherly countries».
