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Rabat – The government of Guinea-Bissau has expressed “unconditional” support for Morocco’s territorial integrity. The statement is part of Guinea-Bissau’s determination to back Morocco’s Autonomy Plan submitted to the United Nations in 2007 as a political solution to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
On August 22, Bissau-Guinean Minister of Foreign Affairs Suzi Carla Barbosa said that, along with the autonomy plan, her country also expresses full “support for the role played by the United Nations as an exclusive and consensual framework” to reach a lasting solution to the conflict.
Barbosa made her remarks in a joint statement following talks with her Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, in Rabat on Thursday, August 22.
Guinea-Bissau also reiterated support for Morocco’s territorial integrity at the 4th Committee of the United Nations General Assembly held in October 2018.
In her meeting with Bourita, Barbosa also extolled the partnership her country has with Morocco, welcoming the “huge economic opportunities offered by both countries.”
A statement of the meeting reaffirms Guinea-Bissau’s determination to develop bilateral trade and establish a “mutually beneficial economic partnership.”
Read Also: Kuwait, Guinea Bissau Support Morocco’s Sovereignty in Western Sahara
Data from the European Commission’s directorate-general for trade shows Morocco as one of the top trading partners for Guinea-Bissau in 2018. Excluding region member states, Morocco is the seventh biggest source of imports to Guinea-Bissau with a value estimated at €3 million
The joint statement from Bourita and Barbosa emphasizes that “both sides urged economic operators in the two countries to conduct prospecting missions and participate in economic and trade events organized by the two countries.”
The two countries aim to foster collaboration in agriculture, health, education, fisheries, infrastructure, and training.
Education partnership
In 2015, King Mohammed VI and Guinea-Bissau’s head of state Jose Mario Vaz signed 16 partnership agreements in several fields, including education.
Under the partnership agreement on education, Morocco will grant scholarships and internship opportunities for students from Guinea-Bissau.
The recent meeting between Bourita and Barbosa served as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of the agreement for students.
Morocco has decided to increase by 50% the number of scholarships granted to Bissau-Guinean students from 80 to 120, Maghreb Arab Press reported.
Morocco also vowed to support Guinea-Bissau’s determination to implement socio-economic development projects to strengthen peace and stability in the country.
