Morocco, Burundi Set to Promote Bilateral Cooperation

Speaker of the House of Advisors and president of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World (ASSECAA), Naama Mayara, discussed, Monday in Bujumbura, with the Burundian Prime Minister, Gervais Ndirakobuca, ways to strengthen cooperation between Morocco and Burundi. The meeting was an opportunity for both parties to highlight the depth and strength of fraternal relations between Burundi and the Kingdom of Morocco, and to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various areas in the interest of both friendly peoples. In this regard, Mayara reaffirmed that Morocco attaches great importance to Burundi, a friendly country, and works to raise bilateral cooperation to a higher level in the economic, social and political fields. The speaker of the House of Advisors stressed that the distinguished relations between the two countries should be reflected in economic and trade exchanges, especially since both countries have enormous potential and promising economic opportunities. In this context, Mayara stressed the availability of Morocco to put its experience in the field of agricultural training, phosphate fertilizers and mechanization of agriculture at the disposal of Burundi, in order to enable it to modernize the agricultural sector and ensure food security. Mayara also praised the level of economic and social development that Burundi is experiencing, despite the difficult global situation, which is characterized by high prices of raw materials and fuels due to the repercussions of the covid-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. Regarding the national issue of the Kingdom, Mayara welcomed the constant support of Burundi to the Moroccan Sahara, recalling in this sense the opening of a Consulate General of Burundi in Laayoune in the Moroccan Sahara in 2020. For his part, Ndirakobuca said that Burundi wants to deepen cooperation relations with Morocco in various areas, expressing the desire of his country to benefit more from the Moroccan experience in various sectors, including education and agriculture. The Burundian Prime Minister stressed that his country is full of promising economic opportunities, calling on Moroccan investors to visit Burundi to explore the huge investment opportunities it offers, especially in the agricultural sector. During his visit to Burundi, Mayara will chair the 9th edition of ASSECAA consultative meeting. On the sidelines of this major event, Mayara and his delegation will hold talks with a number of Burundian government officials and MPs, as well as with the heads of the delegations participating in this meeting.