Iraq’s Foreign Affairs Minister has expressed his country’s support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara, Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Ministry announced on Saturday.

Fouad Hussein made the statement at a joint press conference with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita in Baghdad Iraq.

The Iraqi foreign minister voiced his country’s support for the United Nations’ efforts to reach a peaceful, long-lasting solution for the Sahara dossier.

The Iraqi declaration of support came as the Moroccan foreign minister inaugurated Morocco’s embassy in Baghdad.

The two foreign ministers met in Baghdad to discuss ways to boost bilateral relations between Morocco and Iraq in several areas.

Following their meeting, the pair inaugurated the Moroccan embassy in Iraq’s capital Baghdad, in a ceremony that saw the presence of officials from Morocco and Iraq.

Bourita said that his “historic visit” to the Middle Eastern country, marked by the reopening of the Moroccan embassy in Iraq, is a “strong sign of the depth of these relations and the confidence of Morocco and His Majesty the King in Iraq, its stability, and positive progress.”

The Moroccan foreign minister emphasised his hope for his visit to be a “turning point” in Morocco-Iraq relations and boost cooperation and sharing of expertise in all fields, notably politics, economy, security, and fighting extremism.

Bourita’s visit to Iraq coincides with the 65th anniversary of the opening of the Middle Eastern country’s embassy in Rabat.

For his part, Hussein highlighted the key role Morocco plays in politics and economy, particularly in Africa, adding that the pair “agreed on the need to create the necessary mechanisms to strengthen trade and economic cooperation in various fields.”

The two sides also discussed joint cooperation at the Arab, Islamic, and international levels, as well as the need to hold consultation meetings to tackle political and regional issues of common interest.