Rabat – Eswatini opened a consulate general in Laayoune, southern Morocco, on Tuesday, October 27. The opening is the eight of its kind in less than a year in the city.
Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita chaired the opening ceremony with his counterpart from Eswatini, Thulisile Dladla.
The opening comes a day after Eswatini inaugurated its embassy in Rabat and signed an industrial cooperation agreement, as well as a joint declaration showing interest in growing a bilateral partnership in the field of health.
Zambia also opened a consulate general in Laayoune on Tuesday.
The two openings are part of Morocco’s vision to strengthen bilateral cooperation with its fellow African countries.
The decision of the African countries to open consulates general in Laayoune also reflects the growing support for Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Since the end of 2019, six other African countries have opened diplomatic representations in the city, including Comoros, Gabon, the Central African Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Burundi, and Cote d’Ivoire.
The city of Dakhla also witnessed the opening of three consulates general last Friday, October 23: Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, and Equatorial Guinea.
Dakhla also hosts the consulates of Gambia, Guinea, Djibouti, and Liberia. The three African countries opened their representations in the southern city earlier this year.
Morocco regards the diplomatic openings as recognition of its Western Sahara position.
The country’s government has vowed that more countries will open consulates in the southern provinces in the coming years.
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