Morocco, Guinea’s Transitional Government Continue ‘Fraternal Relations’

Rabat – Morocco and Guinea are set to continue their bilateral relations after Morocco’s ambassador to Conakry submitted his credentials to the transitional government. The Moroccan Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea Isam Taib presented his credentials to the new government in a sign of continued positive relations despite the change in leadership in the West African nation.

Ambassador Taib was welcomed by Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, current transitional president and head of the Guinean army. Doubouya spoke of the warm relations between the two countries, highlighting how Guinea’s presidential palace bears the name of the deceased Moroccan King Mohammed V. 

‘Historic’ relations

Sections of Guinea’s presidential palace, formerly known as the Palais Des Nations, was renamed the Mohammed V Palace in 2014, in recognition of the late Moroccan king’s contributions to African liberation and unity. The palace is the current headquarters of the military-led transitional leadership which is currently running the country.

Current Transitional President Doumbouya spoke warmly about Morocco-Guinea relations in his meeting with Ambassador Taib. Doumbouya stated that the two countries are “linked by a historic, multidimensional and fraternal relationship,” before highlighting the name of Guinea’s presidential palace.

Guinea’s transitional president vowed to continue to expand diplomatic relations between the two countries and build on the work of his predecessors to “strengthen the partnership” between Guinea and Morocco.

Regional tensions

Guinea’s relatively peaceful coup and its aftermath under Doumbouya have led to less diplomatic pressure compared to post-coup Mali. The transitional government in Conakry is set to present its timeline and policies for the transitional period in the coming weeks, which could elicit a new response by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

While the regional diplomatic bloc cut ties and introduced sanctions on Mali, Guinea has so far been spared a similar response in the absence of concrete details about the ruling junta’s intentions for the transitional period ahead. 

Guinea and Mali have shown mutual solidarity in their opposition to ECOWAS interference, and the ongoing tensions between the bloc and Bamako are likely to impact Guinea’s approach to the duration of its transitional phase. Meanwhile, ECOWAS suspended Burkina Faso, in response to its 2020 coup as the Sahel region shows little sign of short-term stability.