Morocco-Zambia: Towards a Strengthening of Bilateral Relations

The depth and strength of relations between Morocco and Zambia, in light of the strong political will of both countries’ leaders to advance them across various domains, were underscored during talks held on Monday in Rabat between Lahcen Haddad, Vice President of the House of Councillors, and a parliamentary delegation from the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Zambia.

During these discussions, both parties emphasized the importance of exchanging experiences and best practices in the fields of accounting and public finances to strengthen institutional governance, according to a statement from the House of Councillors.

On this occasion, Haddad provided the Zambian delegation—led by Warren Chisha Mwambazi, Chair of Zambia’s National Assembly Public Accounts Committee—with an overview of the House of Councillors’ mandates. These include reviewing annual reports from the Court of Auditors, drafting finance bills, and addressing concerns raised by national public opinion.

He further recalled the historic 2017 visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to Zambia, which marked a qualitative leap and established a critical foundation for the significant transformations that have characterized bilateral relations. This visit reinforced the legal framework governing cooperation through a series of agreements.

Haddad explained that these agreements have strengthened political dialogue and boosted economic ties, particularly in investment, energy, tourism, agriculture, food security, technology, and training.

In this context, the Vice President highlighted the importance of the existing cooperation model between the two countries in advancing South-South cooperation, which lies at the heart of the Kingdom’s African-focused foreign policy. He also reiterated Morocco’s various initiatives to enhance African integration, including the Royal Atlantic Initiative and the Africa-Atlantic Gas Pipeline project.

After commending Zambia’s firm stance in support of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Southern Provinces and expressing Morocco’s deep appreciation for this pivotal step—evidenced by Zambia’s opening of a general consulate in Laayoune in October 2020—Haddad stressed the need to deepen parliamentary cooperation and coordination between the two countries’ legislative bodies within various forums and parliamentary institutions. This collaboration, he noted, is vital to defending African interests and addressing shared challenges.

For his part, Mr. Mwambazi praised the excellence of Moroccan-Zambian relations, which he described as marked by significant achievements in political, economic, and diplomatic cooperation. He specifically referenced the historic visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to Zambia and the fruitful outcomes of the High Joint Commission held in December 2024 in Laayoune.

He also advocated for increased efforts to elevate these relations and leverage all opportunities, particularly in the economic sphere. Mr. Mwambazi underscored the paramount importance of establishing direct air links to position Moroccan-Zambian cooperation as a model capable of advancing regional integration in Africa.