Latest news with #GabrielaSommerfeld
Ya Biladi
5 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Ecuador's Deputy Agriculture Minister's visit to Dakhla angers Polisario supporters
An Ecuadorian delegation, headed by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Marco Antonio, is visiting Morocco from July 21 to 30, as reported by Ecuadorian diplomatic sources. The visit includes meetings with Moroccan officials and tours of several cities across the kingdom, such as Rabat, Larache, Meknes, Agadir, Casablanca, and Dakhla. The planned visit to Dakhla has sparked tensions among Polisario supporters in Quito. They have sent a letter to Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld, urging the cancellation of this stop. They argue that visiting the Sahara represents «an infringement on the Ecuadorian state's foreign policy regarding the Western Sahara issue». It is worth noting that Ecuador suspended its recognition of «SADR » in October 2024. Since that decision, relations between Rabat and Quito have strengthened significantly. On July 4 in Rabat, Sommerfeld held talks with her Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, leading to the signing of a memorandum of understanding aimed at bolstering bilateral cooperation. From Quito, Bourita announced that Morocco and Ecuador «have developed cooperation in the food sector, ensuring the supply of fertilizers. We have also increased our imports of bananas from Ecuador. We are working to strengthen the partnership between our ports». met with Ambassador Mohamed Methqal, Director General of the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation.
Zawya
04-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Morocco: Ecuador Inaugurates Its Embassy in Rabat
Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Mrs. Gabriela Sommerfeld, inaugurated the Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador in Rabat on Friday. In an address delivered during the ceremony, Mr. Bourita said the inauguration follows Ecuador's historic decision to sever all ties with the so-called 'sadr' on October 22, 2024, and to further strengthen its relations with the Kingdom of Morocco. He highlighted that Morocco is home to 165 diplomatic missions, including 50 representations of international organizations. With 14 Latin American embassies now established in Rabat, Morocco is well-positioned to serve as a 'bridge' between Latin America and Africa, offering unique advantages—cultural, geographic, and strategic. This growing diplomatic presence, he added, reflects the importance Morocco attaches to its ties with Latin America within the framework of its foreign policy. The emerging 'win-win' partnership between Morocco and Ecuador aims to set an example of effective and solidarity-based South-South cooperation, Mr. Bourita stressed, emphasizing that the two countries are committed to expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, aspiring to build a strong and dynamic South-South partnership that serves the shared interests of their peoples. On this occasion, Mr. Bourita also congratulated the Government of Ecuador on the appointment of an ambassador to lead its diplomatic mission in Morocco. For her part, Sommerfeld stated that the opening of the embassy marks the beginning of a new era of dynamism in Morocco-Ecuador cooperation. She reaffirmed her country's commitment to deepening bilateral relations, strengthening ties across strategic sectors, and facilitating the exchange of expertise in various fields. She pointed out that this is Ecuador's first diplomatic mission in the Maghreb region. Sommerfeld added that the embassy in Rabat is intended to serve as a 'gateway to African markets' and reflects her government's determination to elevate bilateral cooperation with Morocco. The inauguration took place following talks between Mr. Bourita and Mrs. Sommerfeld, during which the Ecuadorian foreign minister reiterated her country's support for the Autonomy Initiative presented by Morocco in 2007, which Ecuador views as the basis for a lasting solution to this regional dispute. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
Zawya
04-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Morocco, Ecuador Reiterate Willingness to Further Bolster Bilateral Ties
The Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Ecuador reiterated on Friday in Rabat their mutual willingness to further strengthen the development of their bilateral relations. Following the meeting held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and the Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Mrs. Gabriela Sommerfeld, both parties underscored the outstanding bilateral ties of friendship and solidarity, and agreed on the importance of sustaining these exchanges and regularly reviewing them to further strengthen cooperation. The ministers stressed that International Law is fundamentally based on mutual respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of States, as well as on fulfilling obligations under treaties and other sources of international law. Bourita and Sommerfeld said they were pleased with the convergence of their views on regional and international issues and reiterated their commitment to working for global peace and security. They agreed to pool efforts to address global challenges within various international and multilateral bodies, such as climate change, gender issues, human rights, the blue and green agendas, food security, health, pandemic prevention and response, and combating insecurity and corruption. The two sides also tackled the significance of implementing the SDGs in an integrated and holistic manner to eradicate poverty and fight climate change while promoting sustainable land use and water management. During their meeting, the two ministers also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the situations in Africa and Latin America, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They reaffirmed the importance of people-to-people exchanges in strengthening mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation in communication, culture, education, sports, arts, youth, civil society, and the economy. They also expressed their strong commitment to boosting investments through fluid commercial information exchange, promoting strategic alliances with the private sector, and actively supporting initiatives that facilitate and expand bilateral trade, in order to multiply business opportunities and explore the potential for diversified trade and investment between the two countries. The two parties explored collaborative prospects within various Atlantic cooperation initiatives. They also voiced their aspiration to make this space a geostrategic framework for dialogue, aimed at promoting development and ensuring security and solidarity, as well as bringing together the peoples of the Global South and North. Regarding migration, Morocco and Ecuador commended the efforts made in the area, especially within the framework of the Marrakesh Pact, the Rabat Process, and the Los Angeles Declaration, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to dynamic mobility that enables a safe, smooth, and orderly movement of people. The two officials also expressed their shared will to further strengthen the bilateral legal framework to address common areas of interest in cooperation. To this end, the ministers welcomed the signing of two legal instruments: a Memorandum of Understanding on diplomatic training and exchange of experiences between Morocco's Institute of Training, Research, and Diplomatic Studies (IMFRED) and the "Galo Plaza Lasso" Diplomatic Academy of the Ecuadorian Foreign Affairs Ministry; and a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a mechanism for bilateral political consultations. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
Zawya
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Ecuador Views Autonomy Initiative as 'Basis' to Resolve Moroccan Sahara Regional Dispute
Ecuador reaffirmed on Friday in Rabat that the Autonomy Initiative represents "the basis' to resolve the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. This position was voiced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of the Republic of Ecuador, Mrs. Gabriela Sommerfeld, during a press briefing following her talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita. In this regard, and in line with the majority of UN member states, the Republic of Ecuador also expressed its support for Morocco's efforts to achieve a realistic, pragmatic, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution to this regional dispute within the framework of the United Nations. It is worth recalling that the Republic of Ecuador withdrew its recognition of the so-called "sadr" on October 22, 2024, and severed all ties with this fictitious entity. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
Ya Biladi
25-05-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Ecuador strengthens ties with Morocco : Embassy to open in Rabat
«Ecuador to Open Embassy in Morocco». This announcement was made by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. This new diplomatic representation in Rabat aims to «strengthen bilateral relations, boost trade and investment, and promote cooperation in security, technology, and information». This project was discussed during a meeting between Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld and her Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, yesterday in Quito, on the eve of Daniel Noboa's new inauguration for a second term (2025-2029). In a statement to the press at Quito airport, the Moroccan Foreign Minister hailed «the historic moment in relations between the Kingdom and Ecuador», noting that «this is the first visit by a Moroccan Foreign Minister to Quito». Bourita added: «We wish to support His Excellency the President in his efforts to ensure the development and stability of his country.» It is worth recalling that in October 2024, Ecuador suspended its recognition of the «Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)». Two months after this decision, Nasser Bourita held a meeting via videoconference with Gabriela Sommerfeld. In response to this decision, Algeria suspended its imports of bananas from this Andean country, causing a surge in the price of this product in the Algerian market. The lifting of this ban was the subject of a meeting in Quito between Ecuadorian Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Játiva and Algerian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Sofiane Chaib. Ecuadorian Ministers of Production and Agriculture also participated in these discussions, according to Ecuadorian diplomacy. The ministry led by Ahmed Attaf has not yet communicated about this meeting. Meanwhile, Morocco is focusing on agriculture in its relations with Quito. «We have developed cooperation in the food sector, ensuring the supply of fertilizers. We have also increased our imports of bananas from Ecuador. We are strengthening the partnership between our ports», stated Nasser Bourita on Al Aoula's evening news.
