A royal decision to pardon Senegalese football fans in the spirit of Eid al-Adha is the latest to highlight the diplomatic and human ties between Rabat and Dakar.
King Mohammed VI has granted a royal pardon to Senegalese football supporters convicted of offences committed during the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), according to a statement by the royal cabinet.
The tournament was hosted by Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.
The clemency comes as part of Eid al-Adha celebrations and concerns incidents that occurred during the tournament, which drew tens of thousands of African supporters to several Moroccan cities.
The official statement said the decision was taken “on humanitarian grounds” amid the longstanding ties between Morocco and Senegal.
Rabat underscored the “depth of the ties of friendship, brotherhood and cooperation” binding the two countries, longstanding partners on political, religious and economic issues across West Africa.
Through the pardon, Moroccan authorities also sought to emphasise the symbolic reach of the kingdom’s African diplomacy. The statement referred to the “cardinal values” associated with Moroccan identity, notably “clemency, benevolence, generosity and a spirit of tolerance.”
The move comes only months after Morocco hosted AFCON, a tournament widely seen as a major logistical and security test ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the kingdom will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
The measure could also help strengthen Morocco’s regional image among West African public opinion, at a time when issues related to mobility, fan reception and security cooperation are becoming increasingly important in major sporting events across the continent.
Senegal remains one of Rabat’s closest African partners, with sustained cooperation in religious affairs, banking, real estate and infrastructure.
The royal cabinet also said the monarch extended Eid al-Adha greetings to Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and to the Senegalese people.
In a message posted on social media platform X, the Senegalese president welcomed a decision “marked by clemency and humanity.”
“Our compatriots held in Morocco following incidents that occurred on the sidelines of the Africa Cup of Nations are now free. They will soon reunite with their families, thanks to the royal pardon graciously granted by His Majesty King Mohammed VI on the occasion of Eid al-Kebir,” Bassirou Diomaye Faye wrote.
The Senegalese head of state expressed his “most sincere gratitude” to the Moroccan sovereign and stressed that “Senegal and Morocco share a longstanding brotherhood, which this gesture once again honours,” before wishing “Eid Mubarak to His Majesty the King and to the entire Moroccan people.”
MK/ak/ac/lb/as/APA