Mali and Morocco have strengthened their bilateral cooperation with the signing of 21 partnership agreements on Friday, July 24, in Bamako, at the conclusion of the fourth session of their Joint High Commission. Covering key sectors including energy, health, agriculture, higher education, trade, transport and security, the agreements mark the revival of a cooperation mechanism created in 1987 after a 26-year pause. Co-chaired by Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, the session recorded the highest number of agreements between the two countries in decades, surpassing the 17 agreements signed in 2014. The meeting followed technical discussions and a Mali-Morocco Business Forum that brought together more than 300 economic operators, leading to the relaunch of the bilateral Business Council and plans to organize a Mali Economic Week in Morocco in October 2026.
The new partnership focuses on economic development, with Morocco supporting Mali in energy production, solar power, agriculture, fertilizer supply, healthcare infrastructure and medical training, while increasing scholarships for Malian students to 300 annually. Rabat also confirmed tariff exemptions for certain Malian products to boost trade, despite current trade imbalances between the two countries. Politically, Mali reaffirmed its support for Morocco’s position on the Sahara issue, while Morocco expressed support for Mali’s sovereignty, security efforts and national dialogue process. Both countries also agreed to strengthen security cooperation, including the fight against armed groups and cross-border crime, while Bamako backed Morocco’s initiative to provide Sahel countries with access to Atlantic ports. The fifth session of the Joint High Commission is scheduled to take place in Morocco in 2028.
