Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita held a video conference call with his Japanese counterpart, HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Friday and reiterated his country’s position on the recent Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-8) conference.

Bourita told Hayashi, who represented Japan as host of the conference, that TICAD needs to be protected from “political maneuvers” carried out by certain parties. Morocco refused to attend the conference due to Tunisia hosting the Polisario movement’s leader.

In a statement issued by Japan’s Foreign Ministry, Hayashi expressed his regret about Morocco’s absence adding, that “Japan’s diplomatic position of not recognizing the so-called  ‘Western Sahara’ as a state has not changed in any way.”

Both Ministers confirmed that TICAD is an important forum for discussing development in Africa.

Bourita told Hayashi that he held TICAD host Tunisia responsible for the “violations” that led to the attendance of “an entity that was not officially invited to this summit” without consulting host Japan. He praised Japan for launching such a forum that focuses on close cooperattion and interaction with African countries.

The two ministers welcomed the entry into force of the Japan-Morocco Investment Agreement and the Tax Convention between Japan and Morocco this April, and concurred on further encouraging Japanese companies to enter the Moroccan market. Hayashi stated that Japan would like to support the promotion of socio-economic development in Morocco through the provision of a yen loan for the education sector of up to ¥22 billion, which was signed in July.

Hayashi also called for cooperation for the stable supply of ammonium phosphate, an important fertilizer for agricultural production. Minister Bourita expressed his gratitude for Japan’s support so far and stated that he would like to cooperate with Japan in ensuring a stable supply of ammonium phosphate.

Hayashi expressed his hope to further develop the relationship between the two countries, given the longstanding excellent relations of both countries based on the friendship between the Japanese Imperial Family and the Moroccan Royal Family. In response, Bourita said that Morocco has always attached special importance to strengthening and deepening its relations with Japan.