Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita spoke earlier today with his Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi, with the two ministers committing to furthering their “strategic” partnership.
Speaking through videoconference, the two officials welcomed the long-standing bilateral relation between Morocco and Indonesia. The two countries marked the 61st anniversary of their bilateral relations this year on April 19.
Bourita and Marsudi’s “high-level discussions” focused on the importance of fostering the diplomatic ties between Rabat and Jakarta in light of common challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, said a statement by Morocco’s foreign affairs ministry.
As part of an agreement Bourita and Marsudi signed in May 2020, Rabat and Jakarta are coordinating their efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, added the statement.
In today’s discussions, the two ministers spoke of the significance of deepening the level of political consultations between their governments. They notably mentioned the implementation of a set of agreements signed during the 2nd session of the mixte commission held in Jakarta in October 2019.
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Bourita and Marsudi have expressed their countries’ interest in further promoting interaction between the two countries’ business sectors, particularly in terms of investment and trade opportunities in agriculture, mining, and tourism.
Concluding today’s discussions, Marsudi welcomed Morocco’s support for the efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He also expressed satisfaction with Morocco’s warm comments on Indonesia’s efforts toward a way out of the crisis in Myanmar.
In October 2019, Bourita led a delegation of Moroccan officials on a visit to Jakarta. The delegation met with Indonesian vice president Maaruf Amin and the Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Puan Maharani.
During the meeting, Bourita underlined Morocco’s readiness to cooperate with Indonesia in strengthening socio-cultural ties with a long-standing partner.
He unveiled Morocco’s plans to increase the number of scholarships and study grants to Indonesian students, noting the North African country’s commitment to promoting a tolerant and moderate interpretation of Islam in Indonesia, a country with the largest Muslim community in the world.
