ASTANA — Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu embarked on the first official visit in the history of bilateral relations to Rabat at the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco Nasser Bourita on Feb. 28.
Strengthening diplomatic and economic ties
According to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service, both sides explored the current state and prospects. Key areas of focus included enhancing political dialogue, bolstering trade, economic, and investment ties, and fostering cultural and humanitarian exchanges.
Both delegations expressed their commitment to enhancing the legal framework and promoting reciprocal visits at various governmental levels, highlighting the significant potential for collaboration across multiple sectors, including energy, transportation, agriculture, digital technologies, innovations, education, and tourism.
“Kazakhstan views Morocco as a pivotal and esteemed partner in the Middle East and North Africa region. Over three decades of diplomatic relations, we have built a robust political dialogue founded on shared values and fruitful inter-parliamentary cooperation,” reads the ministry’s press statement.
Bourita underscored Kazakhstan’s influential role in Central Asia and affirmed Morocco’s steadfast commitment to intensifying their multifaceted cooperation on various issues. He emphasized the strategic significance of Morocco and Kazakhstan as gateways to North Africa and Central Asia, respectively.
The ministers noted a remarkable 70% increase in bilateral trade turnover last year, reaching US$274 million. Nurtleu highlighted Kazakhstan’s potential to expand its exports to Morocco, particularly in key sectors such as finished petrochemical and metallurgical products, alongside various food items valued at US$130 million.
Visa-free travel to boost business and tourism
Nurtleu announced that a bilateral visa-free regime between Kazakhstan and Morocco will soon be implemented, marking Morocco as the first African nation to establish such an agreement with Kazakhstan. This initiative is expected to open new avenues for business cooperation and facilitate closer people-to-people ties.
The discussions also addressed critical issues such as food security, with Kazakhstan expressing appreciation for Morocco’s interest in the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) activities. Nurtleu invited Moroccan participation at a high level in the upcoming 7th General Assembly of IOFS in Astana later this year.
Looking ahead, both countries discussed their participation in upcoming international events, including the Astana International Forum and the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Kazakhstan extended a warm invitation to Morocco to engage actively in these gatherings.
Expanding collaboration in innovation and culture
Digitalization emerged as another pivotal topic, with Kazakhstan expressing keen interest in collaborating with Morocco under the Digital Morocco 2030 program. Kazakh IT companies stand ready to initiate pilot projects in e-government, innovative IT solutions, and cybersecurity.
Cultural and humanitarian ties were underscored as crucial elements of bilateral relations. Both ministers acknowledged the success of recent cultural exchanges, such as the joint concert featuring the Academic Philharmonic of Astana and the Grand Orchestra of Rabat.
Both nations recognized substantial potential in tourism and agreed to finalize an Air Communication Agreement by 2025, potentially leading to direct flights between the two countries.
Concluding the visit, Nurtleu and Bourita reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further strengthen Kazakh-Moroccan relations across political, economic, and humanitarian domains. They adopted a Joint Communiqué outlining specific measures, including establishing working groups to expand cooperation in key areas.
