Rabat — Morocco and Kenya appear to be keen on fostering their bilateral relations through the creation of a potential parliamentary friendship group.
Morocco’s Ambassador to Kenya and South Sudan, Abderrazzak Laassel, met with Kenyan Senate Speaker Amason Kingi Jeffah in Nairobi yesterday to discuss strengthening parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
The officials agreed to create a Morocco-Kenya parliamentary friendship group that will foster regular dialogue and cooperation between both countries’ legislative institutions.
The group is set to work to build stronger bilateral relations through consistent communication between Moroccan and Kenyan parliamentarians.
The joint entity also aims to focus on more than just parliamentary diplomacy, but also promoting mutual understanding and supporting the countries’ shared interests in trade, education, and development sectors.
Both sides consider the cooperation as part of a long-term vision to make the Morocco-Kenya partnership a model for South-South cooperation, particularly in African integration and sustainable development.
The meeting also provided the ground for discussing the expansion of cooperation in several other areas, particularly collaboration in trade, investment, infrastructure, and agriculture.
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The initiative reflects both countries’ commitment to strengthening multisector cooperation in economic, commercial, cultural, and security fields.
Relations between the two countries have been flourishing following Kenya’s official endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as “the only sustainable approach” to resolve the Western Sahara dispute.
There had been tangible signs of this major shift in the aftermath of the election that saw Kenyan’s current president ascend to power. Still, comments by Kenyan Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi during his visit to Morocco in May officially cemented this shift.
That visit marked a turning point in bilateral relations between Rabat and Nairobi, with both countries pledging their commitment to deepening bilateral strategic partnership.
Morocco and Kenya’s parliamentary cooperation represents a concrete step toward closer ties between the two African countries. According to official statements from both sides and observer assessments, potential benefits of this expanding Nairobi-Rabat alliance is set to extend beyond political dialogue to practical cooperation in key development sectors.
