Rabat – Morocco’s House of Representatives unanimously approved 27 international agreements on Monday during a legislative session chaired by Speaker Rachid Talbi Alami, and attended by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
Speaking at the session, Bourita explained that these agreements align with Morocco’s international commitments and follow King Mohammed VI’s vision to strengthen cooperation and partnerships. He said that Morocco’s foreign policy is practical and goal-oriented as it ensures every agreement serves a clear purpose and fits within a long-term strategy.
Bourita noted that most of the signed agreements reflect Morocco’s priority on African partnerships. Out of the 27 agreements, 12 were signed with African countries, covering key areas such as judicial cooperation, customs, taxation, and economic development.
He added that nearly half of the agreements focus on economic matters, mainly supporting Morocco’s strategy of using diplomacy to boost economic growth both domestically and internationally.
The minister also pointed out the importance of Morocco’s southern provinces in international diplomacy. He revealed that 11 out of 19 bilateral agreements were signed in Morocco’s southern regions in Western Sahara, particularly in the city of Dakhla. This, he said, reinforces the role of the region in hosting international meetings and diplomatic activities.
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Several agreements, especially in land transportation, further confirm Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, particularly the role of the Guerguerat border crossing as a strategic gateway to Africa, Bourita remarked.
Bourita explained that the 19 bilateral agreements fall into four main categories. These include economic development, which includes agreements to encourage investments with Cape Verde and Sierra Leone, customs cooperation with Burkina Faso and Gambia, and a tax treaty with Cape Verde.
Meanwhile, the transportation sector covers road transport agreements with Guinea and Gambia, maritime cooperation with Oman, air transport with Cambodia, and driving license recognition with Italy and Spain.
The sectoral cooperation category includes agreements on fisheries with Gambia, military cooperation with Romania, and civil protection with Burkina Faso.
The remaining bilateral agreements focus on judicial assistance, specifically extradition treaties with Sierra Leone and the Netherlands, a prisoner transfer agreement with Burkina Faso, and legal cooperation agreements with Sierra Leone.
In addition, Morocco approved eight multilateral agreements covering institutional matters, such as establishing an African Development Institute headquarters in Dakhla and an organization facilitating digital cooperation. Other agreements involve legal harmonization within the realms of maritime biodiversity protection, aviation security, and labor rights.
