The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad, Nasser Bourita, announced that he would soon visit Syria to reopen the Moroccan embassy there, marking a new milestone in the relations between Rabat and Damascus after more than ten years of diplomatic rupture. During the visit of his Syrian counterpart to Rabat for his first official visit to the kingdom, Mr. Bourita saw this visit as a moment of “major political and diplomatic significance,” occurring at a time when Syria is undergoing significant changes.
Under the authority of King Mohammed VI, Morocco has remained faithful to a consistent line towards Syria. Rabat has supported “the aspirations of the Syrian people for freedom and dignity” without deviating from respect for Syrian national sovereignty and territorial integrity. This position, he recalled, has been maintained throughout each stage of the crisis.
Morocco is preparing to reopen its embassy and review bilateral agreements.
Mr. Bourita also praised the developments initiated by the Syrian authorities during the current transition period. He declared that Morocco applauds the Syrian people and their leaders for the political, legal, economic, and security measures already adopted, which would help “restore stability, bring Syrians together, and end a long period of tension.”
The Moroccan minister also noted several signs of Syria’s gradual return to its regional and international environment. New European and economic positions now indicate a willingness to treat Damascus as a partner in regional balance rather than a crisis hotspot. Mr. Bourita linked this development to messages sent by the Moroccan monarch to President Bashar al-Assad and Rabat’s decision last June to reopen its embassy in the Syrian capital.
The minister also highlighted key moments in Morocco’s position during the Syrian crisis, including the closure of the Moroccan embassy in 2012 and King Mohammed VI’s visit to the Zaatari camp in Jordan, where a Moroccan field hospital had hosted Syrian refugees. Mr. Bourita emphasized that “the humanitarian aspect has never left Moroccan foreign policy towards Syria.”
Rabat grants a hundred university scholarships to Syrian students.
The two countries have also decided to review all agreements governing their bilateral relations, now deemed insufficient in light of current expectations. This revision should lead to the establishment of a joint commission between the foreign ministers, a permanent political consultation mechanism, and a consular commission dedicated to issues affecting the Moroccan and Syrian communities.
Morocco will also grant a hundred university scholarships to Syrian students. Rabat has also expressed its willingness to share its experience in various fields, including transitional justice, public administration, agriculture, maritime fishing, tourism, and food security.
At the end of this meeting, Mr. Bourita presented the reopening of embassies in Rabat and Damascus as the foundation of a new diplomatic chapter aimed at deepening relations between the two states and serving the stability of their Arab and regional environment.
