The meeting comes a few months after the UAE officially opened a consulate in Laayoune, reflecting its unwavering support for Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Rabat – King Mohammed VI received UAE’s foreign affairs minister Sheikh Abdallah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at the royal palace in Fez on Wednesday.
Moroccan state media announced that the UAE’s foreign minister delivered a message from Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the State of the Gulf country, Sheikh Mohamed Ben Zayed Al-Nahyane to King Mohammed VI.
MAP did not release more details about the message of Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince.
The meeting takes place at a time when both Morocco and the UAE have vowed to strengthen cooperation in different fields.
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The royal audience also takes place a few months after the UAE officially opened its consulate in Laayoune in southern Morocco on November 4.
The UAE is the first Arab country that opened diplomatic representation in Morocco’s Southern provinces, joining a long list of other countries that decided to open consulates in the region.
The UAE’s decision to open the consulate came after a phone call between Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and King Mohammed VI in October.
King Mohammed VI described the announcement as historic, reflecting the UAE’s support for Morocco’s cause in Western Sahara.
Morocco and the UAE share strong diplomatic relations and good trade cooperation.
Morocco and UAE also have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
UAE exports to Morocco amounted to $544,49 million in 2019. Morocco’s imports from the UAE reached $906,69 million in 2019.
Through the opening of the UAE representation, observers predict other Arab states that support Morocco’s territorial integrity to make similar decisions.Bahrain already joined the list, with Jordan vowing to open a representation in the region soon.
In addition to the three Arab countries, several African countries have also opened consulates in Western Sahara, including Gambia, Guinea, Djibouti, and Liberia.
