“HM the King ensures that the friendly relations between Morocco and Guinea are translated into concrete achievements and projects for the benefit of the Guinean people”, as evidenced by the fact that this brotherly country benefited, during the two royal visits to Conakry in 2014 and 2017, from a large number of royal projects in Africa, said Bourita at the opening of the 7th session of the Morocco-Guinea Joint Cooperation Commission, co-chaired with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Guineans Living Abroad, Morissanda Kouyaté.
The Minister noted that, given the potential and opportunities on offer, trade relations between the two countries “still fall short of the expectations and aspirations of both peoples”, despite the recent improvement in this area.
In this context, Bourita called on Moroccan and Guinean economic players to seize every opportunity to bridge the gap between this potential and the level of trade recorded.
In this respect, he affirmed that the Kingdom is fully prepared to develop a mutually beneficial partnership between the public and private sectors, capable of constituting a model of South-South cooperation on the African continent.
Bourita also reiterated Morocco’s full readiness to set up new mechanisms for exchanging expertise and sharing experiences in the academic, scientific and cultural fields between the various Moroccan institutions and their Guinean counterparts.
He also expressed his thanks to Kouyaté for the Republic of Guinea’s constant and clear stance in favor of the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, as well as for its ongoing historical support for the Moroccanness of the Sahara, recalling that Guinea has always defended international legality and Morocco’s legitimate rights.
This position was crowned by the opening of a Consulate General of the Republic of Guinea in Dakhla in January 2020, he said.
The Minister pointed out that the Guinean government had clearly demonstrated its political will and commitment to the implementation of the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, through the signing of the tripartite memorandum of understanding in December 2022, stressing that this strategic project represents a symbol of the South-South cooperation that African countries are called upon to consolidate, in order to enshrine the African development model in favor of which His Majesty the King has never ceased to advocate.
Bourita also highlighted the solid cooperation between Morocco and Guinea in the religious sphere, which dates back several centuries, pointing out that the two countries share an Islam based on the Malikit rite, Achaarit dogma and Sunni Sufism.
This cooperation continues today on the basis of these age-old foundations, he noted, adding that, on the instructions of HM King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, dozens of Imams from this brotherly country receive training at the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morchidins and Morchidats.
Bourita said that the Kingdom of Morocco was following the political transition in Guinea with satisfaction, and welcomed “the openness, wisdom and clear-sightedness shown by our brothers in this friendly country, which enabled them to put the supreme interests of the nation above all other considerations”.
He underlined, in this respect, his conviction that the Republic of Guinea, thanks to its leadership, its capabilities, the determination of its people and the support of its friends, is capable of moving forward in its efforts to “rebuild the State”, reaffirming the Kingdom’s readiness and commitment to accompany Guinea in its efforts to achieve a successful political transition with the aim of establishing democratic institutions capable of leading the country towards peace, development and prosperity.
The Minister also welcomed the positive developments in bilateral cooperation in recent months, as evidenced by the exchange of working visits by senior officials and experts to discuss and exchange experiences in various fields such as security, health, justice, culture and education, underlining Morocco’s commitment to strengthening this positive dynamic for the benefit of the two friendly peoples.
In this same context, Bourita highlighted the exceptional nature of the 7th session of the Morocco-Guinea Joint Cooperation Commission, which is being held halfway between Rabat and Conakry in the beautiful city of Dakhla, which has always been and remains a dynamic link between the Moroccan people under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, and the peoples of the African continent.
Bourita also expressed his deep gratitude to Kouyaté for his personal commitment to consolidating the exceptional relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Guinea, noting that the participation of his Guinean counterpart in the proceedings of this important event reflects the growing will to raise cooperation ties to the level of a strategic partnership in line with the aspirations of HM King Mohammed VI and His Excellency Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, President of the Transition, Chairman of the National Committee of Reconciliation and Development (CNRD), Head of State, Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Guinea.
In this respect, he noted that the holding of the Morocco-Guinea Joint Cooperation Commission reflects the desire of both countries to breathe new life into bilateral cooperation by strengthening and broadening the legal framework in priority areas, with a view to implementing concrete, structuring development projects.
The holding of this important meeting is also an opportunity to deepen political consultation and ongoing dialogue between the two brotherly countries, and to set up an appropriate framework for reflection on the future of Morocco-Guinean relations, he added, stressing that the results of this meeting are likely to give new impetus to economic cooperation, through the development of a genuine partnership encompassing more initiatives between the public and private sectors.
