Doha – Kenya has officially declared Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as “the only sustainable approach” to resolve the Western Sahara dispute, marking a major diplomatic victory for Rabat.
This position was formalized in a joint statement released Monday in Rabat following talks between Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Kenya’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi.
“The Republic of Kenya considers the autonomy plan as the only sustainable approach for resolving the Sahara issue and intends to cooperate with like-minded states to promote its implementation,” the statement said.
Kenya also “welcomes the growing international consensus and the momentum led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in favor of the autonomy plan presented by the Kingdom of Morocco as the only credible and realistic solution to resolve the dispute over the Sahara.”
This announcement represents the culmination of a diplomatic normalization process that began with President William Ruto’s arrival to power in 2022. The two-day official visit by Mudavadi to Morocco from May 26-27 cements this strategic realignment.
Decades of tensions end
The relationship between Kenya and Morocco had been frozen for decades over the Sahara issue. Kenya previously actively supported the separatist Polisario Front’s self-proclaimed “Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),” even hosting its president, Brahim Ghali, and maintaining a “Sahrawi” mission in Nairobi.
This stance changed dramatically on September 8, 2022, when President Ruto signaled Kenya would no longer recognize the fictitious “SADR.” Though the tweet announcing this position was quickly deleted, it triggered a reassessment of Kenya’s policy toward Morocco.
Diplomatic relations accelerated rapidly afterward. In March 2023, Kenya’s foreign affairs secretary made the first official visit to Rabat. By December 2023, Kenyan senators had formally called on the government to open an embassy in Morocco.
In March 2024, Jessica Muthoni Gakinya became Kenya’s first ambassador to Morocco. On August 30 of the same year, she presented copies of her credentials to Bourita. Kenya’s 2025 foreign policy blueprint, Sessional Paper No. 1, officially removed any reference to the Sahara issue.
During his current trip, Mudavadi is set to officially inaugurate the embassy and hold talks with his Moroccan counterpart Aziz Akhannouch. This visit will also mark the establishment of Kenya’s third diplomatic mission in North Africa, after Algeria and Egypt.
Both ministers stressed “the exclusivity of the United Nations in the political process” and reaffirmed their support for the UN Security Council resolutions, particularly resolution 2756 (2024), the statement adds.
Morocco expressed appreciation for “Kenya’s recognition of Morocco’s continued cooperation with the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to advance the political process based on relevant Security Council resolutions.”
Bilateral agreements inked
During today’s meeting, Bourita and Mudavadi signed several bilateral agreements covering various fields of cooperation. They agreed to schedule the first session of the Morocco-Kenya Joint Cooperation Commission to establish the legal framework for initiatives that could strengthen bilateral cooperation.
The two officials noted that bilateral relations have shown positive development, driven by increasing engagement at all levels since President Ruto came to power in 2022. This meeting is part of the new positive dynamic between the two countries.
On the multilateral front, the two ministers reaffirmed the importance of political consultations within various international forums and organizations. These consultations aim to align viewpoints on subjects of common interest, following principles of peace preservation and respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity.
A major challenge in this normalization process is the trade imbalance between the two countries. In 2023, Kenya exported only 500 million shillings (about $3.85 million) worth of goods to Morocco, while importing 12 billion shillings (around $92.4 million) of Moroccan products. This created an 11.5 billion shilling (roughly $88.6 million) structural trade deficit for Kenya.
Kenya’s exports consist mainly of tea, coffee, textiles, and fruits, while Morocco primarily exports fertilizers, oils, and aircraft parts to Kenya. To combat this, Ambassador Gakinya has outlined a roadmap to strengthen Moroccan investments in Kenya’s fertilizer sector while promoting Kenyan agricultural products in the Moroccan market.
Morocco’s OCP Group, the world’s leading phosphate exporter, could establish a fertilizer plant in Kenya to transform the country’s agricultural production. This partnership works to ensure stable and competitive local supply, going beyond simple commercial exchanges to include technology transfer and expertise in sustainable soil management and intensive agriculture.
