Nasser Bourita and Fuad Hussein
Rabat – Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita described Moroccan-Iraqi relations as “distinguished” and “deep-rooted,” on Saturday in Rabat.
“The ties between the two brotherly countries, built on genuine brotherhood, solidarity, and cooperation, have always been strong,” Bourita stated during a press briefing following his talks with Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein.
He highlighted the significant progress of bilateral cooperation in recent years, particularly through the establishment political dialogue mechanisms.
During their talks, the two parties agreed to hold the next meeting of the Joint Commission in Iraq before the end of the year, he stressed. Going forward, the commission will be convened based on mutual agreement and co-chaired by the foreign ministers of both countries, whereas it was previously being held at the level of other ministries, he pointed out. The aim is to give bilateral ties a broader scope.
Morocco’s Bourita emphasized that economy will take center stage at the next Joint Commission meeting, aiming to inject new momentum into bilateral ties and capitalize on all available opportunities for entrepreneurs from both countries.
“Iraq can serve as a platform for the Moroccan private sector in the entire region, just as Morocco can act as a gateway for the Iraqi private sector to West and Central Africa,” he said. In this respect, he noted that a Moroccan-Iraqi economic forum bringing together business people from both countries will be held soon to explore opportunities for economic cooperation.
The two sides have also worked to enhance mobility between Morocco and Iraq through a series of measures related to visa issuance, and will maintain this momentum while exploring additional opportunities, such as establishing an air link, to further facilitate exchanges between the two peoples and the two private sectors, he added.
Bourita further emphasized the importance of intensifying visits between ministers to explore opportunities for sectoral cooperation in key areas, including food security, tourism, energy, and other sectors.