Minutes of the13th Session of the Joint Moroccan-Saudi Commission
Given
the high level of solid relations of brotherhood uniting the two
Kingdoms of Morocco and Saudi Arabia as well as the bonds of sincere
affection linking HM King Mohammed VI and His brother the Custodian of
the Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. It also stems from
the common will of the two brotherly countries, under the High
Directives of their Leaders, to strengthen the prospects of bilateral
cooperation with a view to meeting the aspirations of the brotherly
Moroccan and Saudi peoples.
The
13th session of the Joint Moroccan-Saudi Commission kicked-off in Rabat
on 15-16 June, 2020, under the chairmanship, from the Moroccan side, of
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan
Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and, his brother, Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Saudi Arabia, H.H Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in the
presence of members of the Moroccan and Saudi delegations.
In opening remarks, MFA Bourita welcomed
his brother, H.H Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and the delegation
accompanying him in their second country, the Kingdom of Morocco. For
his part, H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud expressed his deepest
thanks and gratitude for the warm welcome and generous hospitality
extended to the members of the accompanying delegation.
On this occasion, the two Ministers had
brotherly and fruitful talks which reviewed all aspects of cooperation.
The two FMs voiced their satisfaction with the high level of cooperation
and praised the momentum and development it is undergoing on the
political, economic, cultural and social levels thanks to the high and
benevolent solicitude of the Heads of State of the two countries and
their far-sighted directives.
They also reaffirmed their resolve to
explore all means to develop, diversify and evolve this cooperation
towards the desired partnership.
During these talks, several regional and
international issues of common interest were examined, reflecting the
convergence of views and existing coordination between the two brotherly
countries.
The two sides took note of the encouraging
results achieved by experts and senior officials during the preparatory
meetings of the commission, held on June 13 and 15, 2022.
Morocco reiterated its absolute solidarity
with Saudi Arabia and its constant support for all measures taken by
the country to protect its security and stability as well as the safety
of its territories, citizens and residents.
Saudi Arabia reiterated its firm and
continuous support for the territorial integrity of the brotherly
Kingdom of Morocco, and reaffirmed its support for the Moroccanness of
the Sahara. Saudi Arabia also supports the efforts undertaken by the
Kingdom of Morocco to find a compromise-based realistic political
solution within the framework of relevant Security Council resolutions
and under the supervision of the UN Secretary-General.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Riyadh also
stressed its support for the autonomy initiative in the Moroccan Sahara
within the framework of Morocco's sovereignty and national territorial
integrity, as a solution that is consistent with the international law
and the resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly of
the United Nations.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also expressed
its rejection of any infringement of the supreme interests of the
Kingdom of Morocco, its sovereignty, or the unity of its national
territory.
The joint Commission stressed the
importance of coordinating the positions of the two countries in
regional and international organizations, adding that the two sides
agreed to continue supporting each other's candidacies within these
organizations.
Morocco has renewed its support for Saudi Arabia's capital city, Riyadh’s bid to host expo 2030.
The Commission also agreed to adopt a
flexible mechanism to exchange information on the candidacies of both
countries in advance at the beginning of each year to provide the
necessary support promptly.
Welcoming the strengthening of cooperation
at the multilateral level, the Moroccan side informed its Saudi
counterpart of Morocco's intention to host a high-level conference on
health diplomacy and emergency response, in cooperation with the World
Health Organization, the World Bank and the Republic of Rwanda, wishing
the effective participation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in this
important conference.
The Commission, which discussed Arab,
Islamic and international issues, expressed satisfaction at the
convergence of views of both countries in this regard, stressing the
need for coordination and continuous consultation to ensure the common
interests of both countries and address the challenges of Arab and
Islamic nations in light of the rapid changes on the international
scene.
The Commission stressed the importance of
joint Arab action allowing Arab countries to defend their unity and
sovereignty and strengthen their security and stability by defending the
values of solidarity and good neighborliness and refraining from
interfering in the internal affairs of states and threatening their
territorial integrity.
The Commission also expressed hope that
the crises suffered by the brotherly Arab countries, such as Syria,
Yemen and Libya, will be resolved through a political solution that
preserves their territorial and national unity, guarantees their
security and stability and meets the aspirations of their peoples to
development and freedom, according to United Nations resolutions.
The Kingdom of Morocco has also welcomed
the initiatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to bring peace to the
sister Republic of Yemen.
The commission reiterated its constant
solidarity with the Palestinian people to establish an independent State
of Palestine based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Al-Quds as
its capital, in line with the relevant international resolutions and
the Arab Peace Initiative.
In this regard, the Commission called for
stepping up efforts to break the deadlock in the peace process and to
work for the resumption of negotiations within a clear timetable,
resulting in an agreement addressing all the issues related to the Final
Solution, under the Arab Peace Initiative, the resolutions of
international legitimacy and the two-state solution.
Failure to resolve this issue is likely to
fuel tension and extremism and would constitute a source of threat to
security and stability in the region.
The Saudi side welcomed the continuous
efforts made by HM King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee,
to defend the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and its inhabitants, to preserve
its civilizational identity and to protect its status as a symbol of
tolerance and coexistence between the different monotheistic religions.
Saudi Arabia welcomed the humanitarian and social projects of the Bayt
Mal Al-Quds Al-Acharif Agency aimed at maintaining the presence of the
Maqdissis in Al-Quds and supporting their resistance.
The Morocco-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission
condemned the launch of Iranian-made ballistic missiles from Yemen's
territory, as well as drones launched against vital and civilian
facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the brotherly State of the
United Arab Emirates.
The commission also welcomed the talks on
the possibility of launching trilateral cooperation in at the African
level as part of a solidarity approach in priority areas.
The Morocco-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission
called for more efforts to support stability, promote sustainable
development and fight against extremism, terrorism and separatist
movements in the Sahel region.
Saudi Arabia appreciated Morocco's
three-dimensional approach towards the Sahel region, which focuses on
security, development and training of human resources.
The commission renewed its condemnation of
extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless
of the justifications and motives, and stressed that this dangerous
scourge should not be linked to any civilization or religion. It also
stressed the importance of combining regional and international efforts
to confront and eradicate terrorism and eliminate its causes.
The commission reviewed the tireless
efforts made by the two countries and the pioneering initiatives they
have developed to counter terrorism and violent extremism, stressing the
need to continue coordination in that regard at the international
multilateral level, including the United Nations, the Global Forum on
Countering Extremism and the International Coalition against Daesh.
For its part, Morocco welcomed the "Green
Saudi Arabia" and "Green Middle East" initiatives launched in March 2021
by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince
of Saudi Arabia and Deputy Prime Minister.
The Moroccan side also welcomed the
hosting by Saudi Arabia, on October 23-25, 2021, of the inaugural
edition of the "Green Saudi Initiative Forum" and the "Middle East Green
Initiative Summit" which will outline the vision of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia and the region in terms of protecting the earth and nature,
and will vigorously contribute to international efforts to address the
challenges of climate change to preserve a sustainable environment.
Saudi Arabia lauded the accession of
Morocco to the Digital Cooperation Organization as a member state and
highlighted the importance of such membership for the work of the
organization given Morocco's position as a technological and digital hub
of reference at the Arab and African levels.
This momentum was reflected in the
exchange of visits of Ministers and officials in various sectors such as
trade, industry, finance, energy, environment and tourism, according to
the minutes of the 13th session of the Morocco-Saudi Arabia Joint
Commission meeting in Rabat.
The Commission also considered that
economic and commercial investments remain below the potential available
to the two Kingdoms, especially in light of the opportunities offered
by the economic sector of both countries, inviting the private sector
and the business council to become more involved in this momentum.
The 13th session of the Joint Moroccan-Saudi Commission kicked-off in Rabat on 15-16 June, 2020, under the chairmanship, from the Moroccan side, of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and, his brother, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, H.H Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in the presence of members of the Moroccan and Saudi delegations.
In opening remarks, MFA Bourita welcomed his brother, H.H Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and the delegation accompanying him in their second country, the Kingdom of Morocco. For his part, H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud expressed his deepest thanks and gratitude for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to the members of the accompanying delegation.
On this occasion, the two Ministers had brotherly and fruitful talks which reviewed all aspects of cooperation. The two FMs voiced their satisfaction with the high level of cooperation and praised the momentum and development it is undergoing on the political, economic, cultural and social levels thanks to the high and benevolent solicitude of the Heads of State of the two countries and their far-sighted directives.
They also reaffirmed their resolve to explore all means to develop, diversify and evolve this cooperation towards the desired partnership.
During these talks, several regional and international issues of common interest were examined, reflecting the convergence of views and existing coordination between the two brotherly countries.
The two sides took note of the encouraging results achieved by experts and senior officials during the preparatory meetings of the commission, held on June 13 and 15, 2022.
Morocco reiterated its absolute solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its constant support for all measures taken by the country to protect its security and stability as well as the safety of its territories, citizens and residents.
Saudi Arabia reiterated its firm and continuous support for the territorial integrity of the brotherly Kingdom of Morocco, and reaffirmed its support for the Moroccanness of the Sahara. Saudi Arabia also supports the efforts undertaken by the Kingdom of Morocco to find a compromise-based realistic political solution within the framework of relevant Security Council resolutions and under the supervision of the UN Secretary-General.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Riyadh also stressed its support for the autonomy initiative in the Moroccan Sahara within the framework of Morocco's sovereignty and national territorial integrity, as a solution that is consistent with the international law and the resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also expressed its rejection of any infringement of the supreme interests of the Kingdom of Morocco, its sovereignty, or the unity of its national territory.
The joint Commission stressed the importance of coordinating the positions of the two countries in regional and international organizations, adding that the two sides agreed to continue supporting each other's candidacies within these organizations.
Morocco has renewed its support for Saudi Arabia's capital city, Riyadh’s bid to host expo 2030.
The Commission also agreed to adopt a flexible mechanism to exchange information on the candidacies of both countries in advance at the beginning of each year to provide the necessary support promptly.
Welcoming the strengthening of cooperation at the multilateral level, the Moroccan side informed its Saudi counterpart of Morocco's intention to host a high-level conference on health diplomacy and emergency response, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, the World Bank and the Republic of Rwanda, wishing the effective participation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in this important conference.
The Commission, which discussed Arab, Islamic and international issues, expressed satisfaction at the convergence of views of both countries in this regard, stressing the need for coordination and continuous consultation to ensure the common interests of both countries and address the challenges of Arab and Islamic nations in light of the rapid changes on the international scene.
The Commission stressed the importance of joint Arab action allowing Arab countries to defend their unity and sovereignty and strengthen their security and stability by defending the values of solidarity and good neighborliness and refraining from interfering in the internal affairs of states and threatening their territorial integrity.
The Commission also expressed hope that the crises suffered by the brotherly Arab countries, such as Syria, Yemen and Libya, will be resolved through a political solution that preserves their territorial and national unity, guarantees their security and stability and meets the aspirations of their peoples to development and freedom, according to United Nations resolutions.
The Kingdom of Morocco has also welcomed the initiatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to bring peace to the sister Republic of Yemen.
The commission reiterated its constant solidarity with the Palestinian people to establish an independent State of Palestine based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Al-Quds as its capital, in line with the relevant international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
In this regard, the Commission called for stepping up efforts to break the deadlock in the peace process and to work for the resumption of negotiations within a clear timetable, resulting in an agreement addressing all the issues related to the Final Solution, under the Arab Peace Initiative, the resolutions of international legitimacy and the two-state solution.
Failure to resolve this issue is likely to fuel tension and extremism and would constitute a source of threat to security and stability in the region.
The Saudi side welcomed the continuous efforts made by HM King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to defend the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and its inhabitants, to preserve its civilizational identity and to protect its status as a symbol of tolerance and coexistence between the different monotheistic religions. Saudi Arabia welcomed the humanitarian and social projects of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Acharif Agency aimed at maintaining the presence of the Maqdissis in Al-Quds and supporting their resistance.
The Morocco-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission condemned the launch of Iranian-made ballistic missiles from Yemen's territory, as well as drones launched against vital and civilian facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the brotherly State of the United Arab Emirates.
The commission also welcomed the talks on the possibility of launching trilateral cooperation in at the African level as part of a solidarity approach in priority areas.
The Morocco-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission called for more efforts to support stability, promote sustainable development and fight against extremism, terrorism and separatist movements in the Sahel region.
Saudi Arabia appreciated Morocco's three-dimensional approach towards the Sahel region, which focuses on security, development and training of human resources.
The commission renewed its condemnation of extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of the justifications and motives, and stressed that this dangerous scourge should not be linked to any civilization or religion. It also stressed the importance of combining regional and international efforts to confront and eradicate terrorism and eliminate its causes.
The commission reviewed the tireless efforts made by the two countries and the pioneering initiatives they have developed to counter terrorism and violent extremism, stressing the need to continue coordination in that regard at the international multilateral level, including the United Nations, the Global Forum on Countering Extremism and the International Coalition against Daesh.
For its part, Morocco welcomed the "Green Saudi Arabia" and "Green Middle East" initiatives launched in March 2021 by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and Deputy Prime Minister.
The Moroccan side also welcomed the hosting by Saudi Arabia, on October 23-25, 2021, of the inaugural edition of the "Green Saudi Initiative Forum" and the "Middle East Green Initiative Summit" which will outline the vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region in terms of protecting the earth and nature, and will vigorously contribute to international efforts to address the challenges of climate change to preserve a sustainable environment.
Saudi Arabia lauded the accession of Morocco to the Digital Cooperation Organization as a member state and highlighted the importance of such membership for the work of the organization given Morocco's position as a technological and digital hub of reference at the Arab and African levels.
This momentum was reflected in the exchange of visits of Ministers and officials in various sectors such as trade, industry, finance, energy, environment and tourism, according to the minutes of the 13th session of the Morocco-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission meeting in Rabat.
The Commission also considered that economic and commercial investments remain below the potential available to the two Kingdoms, especially in light of the opportunities offered by the economic sector of both countries, inviting the private sector and the business council to become more involved in this momentum.