Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita, commenced a visit to Moscow on Thursday, October 16, during which he held discussions with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, as announced by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The visit is part of Morocco’s intense diplomatic efforts to strengthen relations with influential international powers, especially with the upcoming Security Council session at the end of October to renew the mandate of MINURSO.
The talks will focus on ways to develop cooperation between Rabat and Moscow in political, economic, and security fields, alongside exchanging views on the situations in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Sahel region.
Although there was no official mention of the Western Sahara issue on the agenda, it is expected to be a significant topic of discussion, particularly as Morocco seeks Russia’s support, as a permanent member of the Security Council, for its position advocating a political solution based on the autonomy initiative.
The meeting follows notable remarks from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who stated that “Morocco sees the solution as granting autonomy,” noting that “any settlement must align with United Nations resolutions and consider the interests of all parties.”
