Aziz Akhannouch, the head of government, met with William Ruto of Kenya on the sidelines of his attendance at the Dakar 2 Summit in Senegal. A successful meeting ended with a commitment to deepen “strategic ties” between the two nations.

Aziz Akhannouch, the head of the Moroccan government, and William Ruto, the president of Kenya, met in Dakar. “Deep economic ties exist between Kenya and the Kingdom of Morocco, especially in trade, agriculture, health, tourism, and energy. We are committed to advancing and solidifying our strategic alliances for the benefit of both nations ” Ruto wrote yesterday on Twitter.

William Ruto appears thrilled about the prospect of strengthening ties with Morocco and stepping up bilateral cooperation.

To recall, Aziz Akhannouch leads a strong Moroccan delegation taking part in the work of the Dakar 2 Summit on food sovereignty which opened Wednesday in Diamniadio, under the theme “Feeding Africa: food sovereignty and resilience

Read Also: President Macky Sall receives Mr. Aziz Akhannouch, carrying a message from HM the King

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Following receipt of a letter from His Majesty the King to the Kenyan President today, Wednesday, the Republic of Kenya has decided to withdraw its recognition of the alleged “Sahraoui Republic” and to initiate steps to close its representation in the country, according to a joint statement cited on the website of the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Kenya.

In order to resolve the conflict, the joint statement clarified that “in respect of the principle of territorial integrity and non-interference, Kenya offers its full support to the serious and credible autonomy model presented by the Kingdom of Morocco, as a single solution based on Morocco’s territorial integrity.”

According to the same source, “Kenya supports the United Nations framework as the sole mechanism to reach a permanent and sustainable political solution to the Sahara dispute.”

In his message, HM King Mohammed VI congratulated William Samoei Ruto on becoming the fifth President of the Republic of Kenya, lauded the success of the nation’s democratic elections in August 2022, and emphasized that these advantages further cemented Kenya’s position as a pioneering nation in the area of democracy on the continent.

His Majesty also took note of the Kenyan president’s promise to deepen and improve the current bilateral ties between his nation and other countries, including those in Africa.

While praising His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s leadership in advancing policies of tolerance and consensus in the Maghreb and his contribution to achieving international peace and security, Mr. William Ruto expressed his willingness and commitment to work with His Majesty to strengthen relations between the two countries.

According to the statement, the two nations agreed to raise their bilateral diplomatic ties to the level of a strategic partnership within the following six months, and the Republic of Kenya also promised to establish an embassy in Rabat.

Additionally, it was decided to quickly expand social, economic, and trade ties between the two nations, particularly in the areas of fishing, agriculture, and food security (importing fertilizers).

It also covers collaboration in the security sector, as well as the domains of health, tourism, renewable energy, and intercultural and interreligious dialogue.
A team headed by Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, presented His Majesty the King’s message.

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Kenyan Vice President William Ruto affirmed that the autonomy plan for the southern provinces under Morocco’s sovereignty “is the best solution to the Sahara issue.”

“I declare, in my capacity as Vice President of Kenya, that the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty is the best solution to the Sahara issue,” Ruto said during his meeting with the Moroccan ambassador to Kenya, El Mokhtar Ghambou, on Tuesday evening at his residence in Nairobi.

The vice president of Kenya, who is also running for presidency in 2022, stressed that “the Polisario representation in Nairobi has no meaning.”

According to Ruto, “the conflict over the Sahara is nothing but an excuse to allow Algeria to continue squandering the wealth of its people on lost causes,” adding that “creating a separatist state in southern Morocco is nothing but an illusion fueled by those who do not like peace, unity, or prosperity for African countries.”

Ruto also stressed that his country “should never give up its neutrality, but rather it must work directly with the United Nations to support the peace process related to the issue of the Sahara.”

Regarding the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union, Ruto said that “instead of stirring up useless disputes and divisions within the African Union, this African body must ensure that the territorial integrity of the 54 member states is respected in accordance with the African Union Charter which prohibits interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.”

He also stressed that Morocco, which he wishes to visit soon, constitutes an “economic model in Africa”, and that “all African countries are invited to draw inspiration from it”, calling at the same time investors and businessmen in Morocco to invest in Kenya.

For his part, Ghambou confirmed that Morocco was disappointed about the position taken by Kenya at the last meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, adding that this central government’s position “contradicts the position expressed by many provincial governors and some senior officials in Kenya.” He added that they expressed their surprise at this unconditional support from Kenya to Algeria, calling on the government to “support the peace process that is taking place under the auspices of the United Nations to find a solution to the Sahara issue.”

On the other hand, the Moroccan ambassador highlighted the multiple business opportunities available in the two countries, adding that Morocco and Kenya, as leaders in their regions, have a lot to gain if they combine their efforts and take advantage of their potential.

In this context, Ghambou referred to the projects that have already been completed or those that are being negotiated between the two countries, especially the commitment of the OCP Group to support the agricultural sector in Kenya, the intention of Marchica Med Agency to invest in Lamu Island, and political and economic partnerships between Moroccan regions and Kenyan provinces, such as the ongoing partnership between the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region and the Mombasa province, the eastern side and Lamu district.

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