The issue of opening an Egyptian consulate in Western Sahara has returned to discussions between Rabat and Cairo, amid a gradual diplomatic rapprochement that gained momentum during the first session of the Morocco–Egypt Joint Coordination and Monitoring Committee held Monday in Cairo, according to a report by Africa Intelligence.
The same source reported that these developments, including the possible consulate and a planned visit by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to Rabat, come in the wake of Moroccan Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch’s visit to the Egyptian capital.
Akhannouch led a large ministerial delegation and held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly, with the aim of revitalizing bilateral relations after years of stagnation.
According to Africa Intelligence, the joint committee meeting extended beyond economic and trade matters, serving as a preliminary platform to discuss a potential official visit by Sisi to Morocco.
The report added that the renewed momentum in relations reflects a quiet rapprochement between King Mohammed VI and the Egyptian president in recent months.
It noted that the Moroccan monarch and Sisi held undisclosed meetings in Cairo over the past months, signaling the existence of discreet diplomatic channels between the two leaderships.
Regarding the Western Sahara issue, the report said Egypt had traditionally maintained a cautious position on the dispute, avoiding clear alignment.
However, recent diplomatic shifts have prompted Rabat to revisit the matter with Cairo, leveraging the improving political ties between the two countries.
On Monday, Egypt expressed its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and backed UN Security Council Resolution 2797, as well as a mutually agreed political solution to the conflict.
The resolution calls on the parties involved to engage in negotiations around Morocco’s autonomy proposal as a basis for resolving the dispute under Moroccan sovereignty.
Africa Intelligence noted that the prospect of Egypt opening a consulate in the disputed territory has resurfaced alongside Morocco’s broader diplomatic efforts to consolidate international recognition of its sovereignty over the southern provinces.
This comes as Morocco continues to encourage partner countries to establish diplomatic representations in the region as part of its long-standing strategy.
On the economic front, the report indicated that Rabat and Cairo are seeking to overhaul the Agadir Agreement, signed in 2001 between Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan, which established a free trade area but has remained largely underutilized.
Meanwhile, Cairo hosted the signing of a series of cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding covering multiple strategic sectors during the joint committee meeting.
These agreements span diplomacy, sports, housing and urban development, tourism, healthcare, energy, customs, industry, environment, youth, culture, and investment, reflecting a comprehensive effort to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Together, these developments suggest that Morocco–Egypt relations are entering a new phase marked by political coordination, economic partnership, and potential shifts in regional diplomacy.
