Johann Wadephul ahead of a key diplomatic visit to Morocco, where talks will focus on bilateral cooperation and regional issues. David Westenfelder, spokesman for the German Federal Foreign Office, used one word that stood out in his written statement to 24SAA/MoroccoTelegraph: “pivotal”. Morocco, he said, is a pivotal partner for the German government — and the bilateral relationship is moving in a positive direction, particularly when it comes to economic and trade cooperation. The statement came as German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul prepares to visit Rabat on April 29 and 30, 2026.
Westenfelder confirmed that Wadephul will hold formal talks in the Moroccan capital with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, within the framework of the strategic dialogue the two countries hold at foreign minister level every two years. He described the meeting as “an essential milestone” for exchanging views on bilateral and regional matters alike.
The visit also falls in a year with particular symbolic meaning: 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Germany and Morocco. Westenfelder cited the milestone as evidence of what he called the depth and continuity of the ties between Berlin and Rabat.
A broad agenda, carefully bounded
On the substance of the talks, Westenfelder was specific about the topics and restrained about the conclusions. The conversations, he said, will cover bilateral relations and economic cooperation — but will also extend to regional and international issues, including the situation in the Middle East and developments in the Sahel. He offered no further detail on specific policy positions or particular files that Berlin intends to raise.
That caution was deliberate. The German side made clear it has no intention of pre-empting the results of the strategic dialogue. The details of what is discussed, Westenfelder indicated, belong to the formal consultations themselves. Once the dialogue concludes, a joint statement will be issued, followed by a press conference in Rabat on Thursday, April 30.
What the German response left out
The statement Westenfelder provided did not address the full range of questions 24SAA/MoroccoTelegraph submitted. Berlin offered no response on the evolution of the strategic partnership between the two countries, Germany’s position within the European Union on the question of the Moroccan Sahara, Morocco’s role in European energy security and green hydrogen, or the possibility of a German contribution to projects linked to the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Those questions remain, for now, without an official answer.