(MENAFN) Kenya officially inaugurated its first embassy in Morocco on Monday, marking 60 years of diplomatic relations and signaling a significant strengthening of bilateral ties alongside a major policy shift on the Western Sahara issue.

The embassy opening in Rabat was attended by Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi.

During Mudavadi’s two-day official visit starting Monday, the two nations inked five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) focused on enhancing cooperation in areas including housing and urban development, youth affairs, diplomatic training, trade promotion, and capacity building in public service.

In a key development, Kenya formally endorsed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as "the only sustainable approach" to resolving the Western Sahara dispute—a notable reversal of Nairobi’s previous position.

This announcement represents the climax of a normalization process initiated after Kenyan President William Ruto assumed office in 2022. Previously, relations had been tense due to Kenya’s backing of the Polisario Front and recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which seeks independence for Western Sahara.

Kenya had once hosted SADR president Brahim Ghali and maintained a diplomatic mission for the SADR in Nairobi. However, the Ruto administration shifted course, accelerating bilateral engagement with Morocco. In March 2024, Kenya appointed Jessica Muthoni Gakinya as its first ambassador to Morocco.

Western Sahara, a contested region in northwestern Africa, remains predominantly under Moroccan control, with about 30 percent governed by SADR forces supported by Algeria.

At a joint press conference following the MoU signings, Bourita called Kenya "a pivotal player and a cornerstone of peace and stability in Africa," expressing Morocco’s eagerness to expand cooperation across various sectors.

Mudavadi responded by lauding Morocco as "a rising economic power on the continent," underscoring the need to deepen bilateral partnerships.

A joint communique issued following the visit declared that both nations "reiterated their satisfaction with the mutual cooperation between their countries."

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