Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: Morocco, Russia have 'very good and brilliant' relations

Relations between Russia and Morocco are “brilliant, which we can describe as the opening up of Africa for Russia and the opening up of Russia for Africa,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova.

Russia and Morocco have “very good” cooperation relations in several areas, she told MAP, on the sidelines of the second Africa-Russia Summit and Economic Forum, held on 27 and 28 July in Saint Petersburg, the cultural capital of Russia.

The Russian official underlined “the very good cooperation” between the two countries in different spheres, including “economy, finance, tourism, business and many other sectors”.

“We have a solid legal basis for this cooperation,” she said, referring to the Russia-Morocco strategic partnership agreement, implemented since 2002, and which was reinforced in 2016 by the signing of a “Declaration on the Deep Strategic Partnership”.

“We promote friendship and mutual respect with Morocco. This is a shining example of how to build relations between countries,” she said.

Zakharova, who was the guest of a meeting with African media within the framework of the Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum, also highlighted the “traditionally good and friendly relations” between Moscow and Rabat, highlighting the development of bilateral relations since the signing of the Russia-Morocco strategic partnership declaration in 2002.

According to her, there has been “a deepening of strategic relations with Morocco and this has borne fruit”.

Indeed, she explained, Morocco is among the first three partners of the Russian Federation in Africa, noting, in this regard, that the Kingdom is second in terms of exports and third in imports.

“Trade has increased by over 25% since 2021, and the same dynamic has been observed in the first months of the current year,” noted Zakharova, adding that fishing is one of the main sectors of cooperation between the two countries.

With regard to the prospects for developing trade relations with Morocco, the official said that Russian companies are interested in developing the energy sector and implementing projects in the fields of high technology and logistics.