Casablanca – Nairobi hosted the first session of the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) between Kenya and Morocco this week, with officials from both sides pushing for formalizing and expanding ties that have been growing for years.
The meeting opened with Abraham Korir Sing’Oei, the head of the Moroccan delegation, stressing that the new framework is meant to move the bilateral relationship into something more structured, with clear priorities and measurable results.
He pointed to cooperation already taking shape across political, economic, and cultural areas, saying both countries now want to organize that momentum into concrete agreements.
Morocco’s ambassador in Nairobi, Abderrazzak Laassel, described the relationship as long-standing but still underdeveloped in practical terms. He said the commission offers a way to turn mutual respect into more consistent coordination between institutions.
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From the Kenyan side, Jessica Gakinya said the talks are expected to speed up cooperation in sectors like ICT, trade, investment, and air links. She also mentioned closer alignment in multilateral forums, where both countries have increasingly found themselves on similar positions in recent years.
Diplomatic relations between Kenya and Morocco date back decades, but ties have gained more visibility since the late 2010s. Morocco has significantly expanded its presence in East Africa as part of a broader push across the continent, investing in sectors such as banking, fertilizers, and renewable energy. Kenya, one of the region’s leading economies, has been looking to diversify its partnerships beyond traditional allies.
Both countries have also increased high-level visits and opened embassies in each other’s capitals, signaling a shift from symbolic ties to more active engagement.
The Nairobi meeting is expected to lead to a series of bilateral agreements in the coming months, though officials did not give a timeline.
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