Rabat, Morocco – The Kingdom of Eswatini and the Kingdom of Morocco have taken a major step in deepening their diplomatic and development partnership following the first-ever session of the Joint Commission for Cooperation held this week.
The high-level session was co-chaired by Eswatini’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Senator Pholile Shakantu, and her Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, who is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
The meeting marks a significant milestone in relations between the two kingdoms, which formally established diplomatic ties in 1996. Eswatini later opened its mission in Rabat in 2020, further solidifying the partnership. In preparation for this session, expert meetings were hosted in Mbabane in 2023 and 2024 to refine areas of collaboration.
During the gathering, the two ministers signed a joint communiqué outlining a detailed roadmap for cooperation between 2026 and 2028. The agreement covers several sectors, including education and training, technical cooperation, economic promotion, international funding, and diplomatic exchanges.
Among the key outcomes was the signing of a visa waiver for holders of service and diplomatic passports, a move expected to ease government-to-government interactions and support regional mobility goals.
The two countries also agreed on a programme for diplomatic training that will see young emaSwati diplomats undertaking short courses in Morocco, focusing on French and Arabic language studies. This initiative aims to enhance the capacity of Eswatini’s foreign service and broaden its international engagement.
In the legal sector, cooperation between the Ministries of Justice will seek to strengthen the legal framework and improve access to justice in both countries.
Youth and sports development also featured prominently in the talks. Minister Shakantu invited Morocco to assist in training young emaSwati football players through technical exchanges and capacity-building programmes. She congratulated Morocco for its recent achievements in the Under-20 World Cup and wished the team success in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
The two governments also committed to boosting tourism cooperation by training local managers, trainers, and operators to raise service standards within Eswatini’s hospitality industry.
As part of the broader roadmap, Morocco pledged to continue supporting Eswatini’s development efforts. This includes sponsoring emaSwati for study and learning tours in Morocco and facilitating resource mobilisation for key infrastructure and strategic projects aimed at driving national growth.
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