Morocco and Somalia have exchanged vows to support each other’s sovereignty aimed at promoting peace, stability as sovereign nations.
The announcement followed a meeting in Rabat on Thursday between Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and his Somali counterpart, Hamza Abdi Barre, during which bilateral relations and prospects for strengthened cooperation were discussed. The statement highlighted that Prime Minister Akhannouch underscored King Mohammed VI’s “constant commitment” to deepening political and economic ties with Mogadishu. He also praised Somalia’s “steadfast support” for Morocco’s territorial integrity, notably during the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 on 31 October, which endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara.
Prime Minister Barre, who was in Morocco to attend the MEDays Forum in Tangier, said the talks focused on “opening new avenues of cooperation” with opportunities in both economic and political spheres. During his inaugural address at the forum, he called for the creation of an “African Atlantic Alliance for maritime security,” citing limitations in the current system “affected by structural and functional dysfunctions,” according to media outlet Dwan Africa.
Trade between Morocco and Somalia remains modest. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Moroccan exports to Somalia totaled $317,000 in 2023, mainly refined petroleum, packaged medicines, and powdered sugar, growing at an annualised rate of 4.63% since 2018. Somali exports to Morocco, almost exclusively insect resins, amounted to $587,000 in 2023, stable over five years but showing a slight downward trend.
The Moroccan statement emphasised that Rabat and Mogadishu intend to continue political consultations and explore new avenues of cooperation amid rising regional security and diplomatic challenges in the Horn of Africa.
Meanwhile Somalia on Friday reiterated its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and welcomed the adoption on 31 October of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797.
During his meeting in Rabat with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali reaffirmed his country’s consistent position in favour of Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
In a joint communiqué signed after the talks, Abdi Ali expressed satisfaction with the adoption of Resolution 2797, which endorses Morocco’s autonomy plan as the basis for a just and lasting solution to the Western Sahara dispute. He also praised Morocco’s serious and pragmatic efforts to resolve this artificial regional dispute and expressed Somalia’s full support for the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy for the Western Sahara.
Bourita reiterated Morocco’s recognition of Somalia’s support for Resolution 2797 and reaffirmed the kingdom’s commitment to respecting the East African country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty across its entire territory.
AK/ac/ak/lb/as/APA