Morocco – Kenya: Beginnings of a new diplomatic page between Rabat and Nairobi

It seems that nothing can alter the willingness of two countries to come closer together. In spite of everything, Morocco and Kenya are showing more and more affinity and mutual sympathy since the arrival of the new president William Ruto to power. Very different from his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyata, the new master of Nairobi has made it clear to everyone that he wants to open a new page with the Kingdom. Since his inauguration, the political dialogue between the two countries has improved significantly. This is evidenced by the last meeting he had with the Head of Government, Aziz AKhannouch, on the sidelines of the “Dakar 2” Summit in Senegal. In an atmosphere that could not be more cordial, the images are there to attest, the meeting was productive. You only have to read President Ruto’s statement to realize this. “We pledge to accelerate and strengthen our strategic ties in the common interest of the citizens of both countries,” he wrote on his Twitter account, while recalling that “Kenya and the Kingdom of Morocco have deep-rooted economic relations, particularly in the areas of trade, agriculture, health, tourism and energy.  

However, to move up a gear, much remains to be done, knowing that the current state of bilateral cooperation is not up to aspirations. It must be noted that the volume of trade does not exceed 256.06 million dirhams in recent years. Aware of this, President Ruto intends to upgrade his country’s diplomatic representation in Morocco to an embassy. According to local media, such as “The East African”, which made the announcement on January 27, Kenya plans to open an embassy in Morocco soon. Nairobi, it should be recalled, is represented in the Kingdom by a simple Honorary Consulate.  In addition to the embassy, a joint Chamber of Commerce should be created, discussions are launched since 2020. Since then, the visits of delegations of businessmen from both sides are becoming more and more numerous.  

Moreover, the new Kenyan embassy, according to the same sources, should be inaugurated before the end of the year. A decision that has been neither confirmed nor denied by the Moroccan authorities.