Burc Eruygur
23 May 2023•Update: 23 May 2023
ISTANBUL
The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Morocco agreed to enhance bilateral relations following talks in the Moroccan capital Rabat.
"Ukraine and Morocco are united by a long history of friendship and mutual respect. Morocco supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine … Today, we opened doors that lead to new opportunities for our states, businesses and citizens," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said during a press conference with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita on Monday.
In a separate statement, Kuleba said he informed Bourita about the situation at the front-line with Russia, and that the two diplomats discussed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s peace plan, which he proposed during the latest G-20 summit in Indonesia.
"I invite Morocco to join the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula. This will be a real contribution to peace not only in Ukraine, but also on the African continent," Kuleba said.
The statement further said Kuleba and Bourita discussed food security in Africa and stressed “the need for further uninterrupted work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which plays an important role in the supply of food to global markets.”
It also said the two diplomats agreed to hold negotiations between Ukraine and Morocco on the simplification of trade to determine “promising areas of economic cooperation, increase trade volumes and revive direct business contacts.”
It added that Kuleba and Bourita signed a memorandum of cooperation between the diplomatic academies of the two countries.
“(Foreign) Minister Bourita confirmed Morocco's intention to resume the work of the embassy in Kyiv," the statement said, further quoting Kuleba saying they agreed that Ukraine will share its experience in military diplomacy, strategic communications and public diplomacy with Morocco.
Kuleba's visit to Morocco marked the first-ever visit by a Ukrainian foreign minister since the establishment of bilateral ties between Kyiv and Rabat in 1992, and is the first leg of his second Africa tour. No details have yet been released about which other countries he will visit.
