Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf have pledged to deepen the strategic relations between Rabat and Gulf countries.
The two officials made their comments during a videoconference, Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on January 26, noting that Bourita and Al-Hajraf recalled Morocco and the GCC’s joint achievements since 2011 and committed to furthering their strategic partnership.
On the Western Sahara question, Bourita expressed Morocco’s gratitude for the council’s continuous support for its territorial integrity, highlighting the importance of the December 2021 statement the GCC’s supreme council issued on the Sahara case.
Al-Hajraf reaffirmed the council’s support for Morocco’s stance on the Sahara question, arguing that “any solution to the regional conflict can only take place within the framework of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco.”
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Bourita reiterated Morocco’s denunciation of the Houthi group’s attacks on civilian and economic facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He also renewed Morocco’s rejection of all forms of Iranian interference in the domestic affairs of GCC members, especially the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Recalling King Mohammed VI’s speech at the 2016 Morocco-Gulf Summit, Bourita said that Morocco “has always considered the stability and security of the Arab Gulf states as an integral part of its security and stability,” the press release said.
Just after the January 17 Houthi attacks on UAE, Morocco’s chief diplomat noted, King Mohammed VI “reiterated the Kingdom of Morocco’s firm support for all measures taken by the United Arab Emirates to defend their territory and the peace of their people in the face of the despicable attacks by the Houthi militia and its supporters.”
The videoconference concluded with Bourita extending an invitation to Al-Hajraf to visit Morocco. While the date of the visit has yet to be determined, the invitation reflects both sides’ readiness to further their cooperation at different levels, such as politics, trade, and human relations.
