During a joint press briefing, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, pointed out that the Moroccan-Indonesian relations are strong, exceptional and based on effective solidarity and convergence of views.

Mr. Nasser Bourita stressed that relations between the two countries "date back to over 60 years and are based on effective solidarity, convergence of views and friendship that translates into action."

In this regard, he noted that Ms. Marsudi's working visit to Morocco comes a few months after Morocco was granted the "Sectoral Dialogue Partner" status within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), chaired by Indonesia for 2023.

The minister also seized the opportunity to express his thanks to his Indonesian peer for her key role and personal support to the Kingdom as the first Arab and African country to obtain this status.

Ms. Marsudi's visit is an opportunity to reaffirm the strong Moroccan-Indonesian relations, as well as the will of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and His Excellency President Joko Widodo to further promote these ties and breathe new impetus into bilateral cooperation, he added.

In accordance with the High Guidelines of His Majesty the King and His Excellency the Indonesian President, "we signed today a memorandum of understanding on strategic partnership", Bourita said, noting that this partnership should materialize.

Indonesia is a leading player on the international stage, within the Group of Twenty (G20), ASEAN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), he said, adding that Morocco is also a major player in Africa, the Arab world, the Mediterranean and within the OIC.

Mr. Bourita also called for enhancing this partnership through coordination between the two countries at regional and international organizations.

This MoU demonstrates that strategic partnership is based in particular on economic, commercial and investment relations through strengthening bonds between businessmen and consolidating cooperation in several areas (energy, fertilizers, agriculture, etc.), to open wider horizons for the two countries, he pointed out.

Mr. Nasser Bourita highlighted the large-scale bilateral cooperation in the field of academic and scientific exchanges, noting that Morocco offers some 30 scholarships to Indonesian students. For its part, Indonesia grants a significant number of scholarships to Moroccan students to pursue their studies in Indonesian universities and institutes.

Culturally, he called for establishing a legal framework to develop human relations between the two countries.

Tackling regional issues, notably the situation in the Gaza Strip, the minister affirmed that the two countries share the same vision, adding that Morocco, whose Sovereign HM King Mohammed VI chairs Al Quds Committee, plays a key role in this framework.

In this regard, he said that targeting civilians in Gaza is "unacceptable” from the point of view of religion, legality and human values.

The minister called upon all parties to "refrain from the use of human shields", exhorting the international community and the Security Council in particular, to "declare a ceasefire as soon as possible".

Mr. Bourita recalled that the Kingdom has always called for a solution to the Palestinian conflict based on the two-state solution, while condemning the destruction of the Indonesian hospital in Gaza.

On her part, Ms. Retno Marsudi called, for pooling efforts to further promote relations with Morocco to a reinvigorated strategic partnership, welcoming the privileged ties between the two countries.

The head of Indonesian diplomacy underlined the importance of "making this new partnership a reality through full cooperation for our two peoples".

Affirming that Indonesia is a “reliable partner of Morocco”, the minister recalled that the two countries “defend the principle of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States”.

She also welcomed the grant of the "Sectoral Dialogue Partner" status within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to Morocco, which opens prospects for stronger cooperation between this regional bloc and the Kingdom.

Ms. Marsudi also called for promoting collaboration between health institutions and companies in the two countries for the exchange of expertise in vaccine manufacturing.

In the same vein, she highlighted the positive momentum of bilateral trade, citing the ongoing B2B cooperation with the OCP group in the supply of potassium and phosphorus, hoping to see this collaboration cover the areas of investments and joint production of fertilizers.

Tackling the situation in the Gaza Strip, the minister emphasized the need to declare a ceasefire that paves the way for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the populations of Gaza, while calling for the revival of the two-state solution to guarantee Palestinian rights.