Kenya announced on Monday its support for Morocco’s proposal to grant Western Sahara autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, aligning with a growing number of African, Arab, and Western nations backing Rabat in the decades-long dispute.
The long-frozen conflict, dating back to 1975, pits Morocco, which considers the territory as its own, against the Algeria-backed Polisario front, which seeks an independent state in the desert territory.
Only ‘Credible, Realistic Solution’
In a joint statement issued after talks between the two countries’ foreign ministers in Rabat, Kenya said it views the Moroccan plan as the only credible and realistic solution and the sole sustainable approach.
Kenya, after 60 years of bilateral diplomatic ties with Morocco, also opened an embassy in Rabat on Monday.
Morocco, a leading phosphates and fertilizer producer, has agreed to immediately accelerate exports of soil nutrients to Kenya, as the two countries plan to cooperate on renewable energies, tourism, fisheries, security and cultural and religious affairs, the joint statement said.
Morocco’s foreign minister Nasser Bourita told reporters that Kenya’s position on Western Sahara, which he called “the national cause”, helped add a new impetus to bilateral relations.
Several MoUs Signed
Kenya is looking to export more tea, coffee and fresh produce to Morocco to balance its trade, Kenyan foreign minister Musalia Mudavadi said on his X account.
“Held productive bilateral talks with H.E. Nasser Bourita, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, where I championed greater Moroccan imports of Kenyan tea, coffee, and fresh produce to help balance our trade,” part of the post on X read.
“I also advocated for an increase in scholarships for Kenyan students in Morocco, currently capped at 20, and proposed the recruitment of Kenyan teachers to support the growing demand for English language instruction in the Kingdom.
“During the visit, Kenya and Morocco signed five key MoUs covering Housing and Development, Trade, Youth Affairs, Foreign Service training, and institutional collaboration between the Kenya School of Government and Morocco’s National Higher School of Administration.
“We now look forward to translating these agreements into action for the shared prosperity of both nations,” Mudavadi said.
Kenya also backed a Moroccan initiative offering landlocked Sahel states access to global trade through Morocco’s Atlantic ports, the joint statement said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
