The two Ministers welcomed the deep and dense ties of solidarity between the two countries, boosted by the recent signing of a roadmap of Moroccan-Santomean cooperation for the period 2020-2022.

These ties were further strengthened with the opening by Sao Tome and Principe of a resident Embassy in Rabat, which will be inaugurated soon by the two Ministers, at a date to be determined by mutual agreement.

Both parties also called for the establishment of a Morocco-Sao Tome and Principe Business Council in order to give the necessary impetus to bilateral trade and take advantage of the respective economic potentialities of both countries.

They underlined the important role played by the private sector in the promotion of the Moroccan- São Tomean cooperation, notably in the sectors of development judged priority by Sao Tome and Principe, including tourism, finance, infrastructures, health, agriculture and fisheries.

This meeting was also an opportunity for the two Ministers to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening relations of solidarity and political consultation between the two brotherly countries, based on respect and defense of the sovereignty and unity of African States.

On this basis, the São Tomean Minister committed to work with the Moroccan side for the respect of norms and procedures within the bodies of the African Union, while reaffirming the relevance of Decision 693 of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union of July 2018, which enshrined the exclusivity of the UN as the framework for the search for a solution to the regional conflict over the Moroccan Sahara.

In this regard, Ms. Ten Jua expressed the support of her country to the candidacy of Morocco for the post of Commissioner of the African Union Commission in the fields of education, science, technology and innovation.

Commending this support, Mr. Bourita also thanked the São Tomean side for its support to Morocco's bid at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the period 2023-2025.