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Denver – Burundian diplomat Benjamin Ndagimana on Tuesday held a historic meeting with Moroccan FM Nasser Bourita in Rabat, days before he is set to take control of the Burundian consulate in Laayoune.
Ndagimana arrived in the capital to give FM Bourita his consular commissions, officially recognizing his position as Burundi’s consulate general in the southern Moroccan city. Announcing that he will start serving in his new position “by Friday,” the Burundian diplomat praised Morocco’s “attachment” to its relationship with its African diplomatic partners.
Ndagimana also asserted that the new diplomatic representation “is an expression of the strengthening of our cooperation which attaches great importance to good neighborliness, respect for national sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of States.”
Burundi has consistently held a supportive attitude towards Morocco’s territorial integrity, and earlier this year Burundian officials reiterated support for Moroccan sovereignty in the Western Sahara region.
Ndagimana maintained that Moroccan-Burundian relations were now reaching “an age of reason,” just six years after Burundi inaugurated its embassy in Rabat. Earlier this year, Morocco officially inaugurated its embassy in the Burundian port city of Bujumbura. Bujumbura is the former Burundian capital and the country’s economic heart.
Burundi is the latest of several African countries to begin the inauguration of diplomatic missions in the southern Moroccan city of Laayoune. Many other African nations have also opened their consulates in Laayoune, including the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Gabon, and Comoros.
Rabat has focused on strengthening ties with its continental neighbors in recent years. Morocco has invested heavily in foreign policy on the continent, working to both ensure sustainable development in Africa and assert itself as a central voice in continental affairs.
