(MENAFN- African Press Organization)
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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, held talks, on September 12, 2023 in Rabat, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Benin, Mr. Olushegun Adjadi Bakari.
Following the talks, the two ministers signed a joint communiqué between the Kingdom of Moroand the Republic of Benin.
Here follow its key points:
The Republic of Benin welcomed the constant efforts made by the Kingdom of Morocco, under the wise and enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, to promote peace and development in Africa.
Mr. Nasser Bourita and his Beninese counterpart hailed "the constant efforts made by Morocco, under the wise and enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and by the Republic of Benin, under the leadership of H.E. President Patrice Talon, in favor of peace and development on the African continent".
In this context, Mr. Bakari praised the pioneering role played by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, in the political, economic, security and religifields.
Turning to regional and international issues of common interest, the two ministers noted with satisfaction their convergence of views on the variquestions raised, reiterating their determination to participate in the settlement of disputes in Africa.
They also welcomed the momentum generated by the Atlantic African States Initiative, which aims to make the Atlantic African space a geostrategic framework for pragmatic and timely intra-African cooperation and consultation.
The two parties also agreed to support, in a concerted and mutual manner, the Moroccan and Beninese candidacies for regional and international bodies.
The two ministers welcomed the great strides made in the variareas of cooperation between the two countries, since the visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, May God Assist Him, to Cotonou in 2004.
The two ministers reaffirmed their willingness to work further to strengthen, consolidate and diversify areas of cooperation between the two countries in promising sectors, which constitute the strategic axes of the second Government Action Program (PAG2), for the period (2021-2026), in accordance with the High Orientations of His Excellency President Patrice Talon.
Morois also ready to strengthen cooperation with Benin in areas of common interest, such as the cultural event "Arts du Bénin d'hier et d'aujourd'hui: de la restitution à la révélation", which took place at the Mohammed VI Museum in Rabat.
To this end, Mr. Bourita expressed the Kingdom of Morocco's warm thanks to His Excellency Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin, for his initiative to honor the Kingdom of Moroby hosting the contemporary section of this exhibition in Rabat.
The two parties, who share a common vision for the development of trade and the promotion of investment, aspire to establish a solid economic partnership, inviting the private sectors of both countries to play a leading role in boosting and reinforcing their economic exchanges and contributing to the financing of development.
In this context, the Beninese side reiterated the need to facilitate the granting of visas to Beninese nationals, as discussed at the 6th Grand Joint Commission held in Moroon March 25, 2019.
During these talks, which fall within the framework of strengthening relations of fraternitý and solidaritý between the Kingdom of Moroand the Republic of Benin, Mr. Bourita and Mr. Bakari also welcomed the deep ties of fraternal and traditional friendshiṕ between the Moroccan and Beninese peoples and the mutual respect that exists between His Majestý King Mohammed VI, May God Assist Him, and His Excellency President Patrice Talon.
The two parties also welcomed the shared desire to make Moroccan-Beninese partnership relations an exceptional model of inter-African cooperation, based on the values of solidarity, exchange and sharing.
The two ministers agreed to hold the 7th Session of the Grand Joint Commission for Cooperation between the Kingdom of Moroand the Republic of Benin in November 2023, in Cotonou.
Regarding the Sahara issue, Benin reiterated its support for Morocco's territorial integrity, while reaffirming its backing for the autonomy plan initiative put forward by the Kingdom, which constitutes the only credible and realistic solution for resolving this dispute.
Mr. Bakari also expressed Benin's support for the efforts of the United Nations as the exclusive framework for achieving a realistic, practical and lasting solution to the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.
He announced that he would be visiting Dakhla in the Moroccan Sahara as soon as possible, to see at first hand the economic and social development and the political and democratic dynamics of the region.
The visit will provide an opportunity to forge partnerships and visit socio-economic investment and infrastructure projects, such as the Dakhla-Atlantic port project, which highlight the progress made in implementing the New Development Model for the Southern Provinces, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God Assist Him.
For his part, Mr. Bourita welcomed this decision, while thanking the Beninese party for its constant support for the Moroccan Sahara issue, and welcoming the supportive stance shown by Benin, which was reflected in its participation, on January 15, 2021, in the Ministerial Conference in support of the Autonomy Initiative under Moroccan sovereignty, at the invitation of Moroand the United States.
During the talks, Mr. Bakari first of all presented His Majesty King Mohammed VI and the brotherly people of Morowith the most sincere condolences of the President of the Republic, H.E. Patrice Talon, and the people of Benin following the earthquake in Al Haouz.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Moro- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.