Moroccan King invites Sudan’s Bashir to visit Rabat

July 11, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has invited Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir to Rabat for talks on bilateral and economic relations, a visiting minister announced on Monday.

Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Salaheddine Mezouar arrived to the Sudanese capital on Monday where he held a meeting with the President al-Bashir.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mezouar said that his meeting with al Bashir aimed to enhance the political and popular relations. He stressed that Sudan and Morocco face the same challenges and foreign threats, adding that the two countries need to work together to address it.

The visiting top diplomat said that Morocco supports Sudan to face “the misleading campaigns” that it faces, and called to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation at all levels.

Sudan is among few countries that recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. The two countries have a number of trade agreements and there are no visa restrictions.

Sudanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Obeid Mohamed, on his part said that Mohammed VI and Bashir would meet twice very soon without elaborating.

He further said that the joint Sudanese Moroccan Committee would resume meetings soon, pointing that Khartoum would host the joint discussions that would be chaired by First Vice president Bakri Hassan Salih and the Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane.

The last meeting of the joint committee was held in Rabat in July 2012.

(ST)