Morocco-Kazakhstan Visa Exemption Takes Effect March 19
Doha – Morocco and Kazakhstan have announced the imminent implementation of their visa exemption agreement, which will take effect on March 19.
The agreement, signed by foreign ministers of both countries during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26, 2024, will allow holders of ordinary passports to travel between the two nations without visas.
During a historic first official visit to Rabat, Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murat Nurtleu, met with Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, on February 28.
Both ministers asserted that the agreement marks a notable advancement in bilateral relations.
'Kazakhstan views Morocco as a pivotal and esteemed partner in the Middle East and North Africa region,' voiced the Kazakh Foreign Ministry in an official statement.
Morocco will become the first African country to establish such an agreement with Kazakhstan.
The visa exemption policy aims to promote tourism cooperation and strengthen interpersonal and intercultural ties between the two countries, while also stimulating commercial exchanges.
The agreement comes as bilateral trade witnessed a remarkable 70% increase last year, reaching $274 million.
Murat Nurtleu articulated Kazakhstan's potential to expand its exports to Morocco, particularly in key sectors such as finished petrochemical and metallurgical products, alongside various food items valued at $130 million.
The ministers declared their intention to finalize an air communication agreement by 2025, potentially leading to direct flights between the two countries.
Additionally, both countries proclaimed their commitment to leveraging their strategic geographical positions in Africa and Central Asia to boost regional trade.
To this end, they agreed to create a Joint Commission between the two governments, to promote the implementation of a Morocco-Kazakhstan Business Council and to enhance logistical connectivity.
Given Kazakhstan's status as a major global wheat producer and exporter, both countries discussed the possibility of setting up a logistics hub in Morocco to facilitate the export of Kazakh wheat to African markets.
The officials reiterated the importance of expanding cooperation to include other areas of mutual interest, including technological innovation, energy transition, transport, and logistics.
Digitalization emerged as another pivotal topic, with Kazakhstan expressing interest in collaborating with Morocco under the Digital Morocco 2030 program.
Kazakh IT companies stated their readiness to initiate pilot projects in e-government, innovative IT solutions, and cybersecurity.
On the security front, Morocco and Kazakhstan agreed to bolster cooperation in the fields of security and defense.
The Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister congratulated Morocco on the upcoming hosting of the 93rd Interpol General Assembly in Marrakech on November 24-27.
The ministers also advocated for strengthening cooperation between their respective Islamic institutions as they are both members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and stressed the importance of promoting cultural and civilizational links between Morocco and Kazakhstan.
This visa exemption agreement comes after a similar decision between Morocco and Azerbaijan, which entered into force on August 28, 2024, as the North African country seeks to strengthen ties with Central Asian countries. Tags: Bilateral CooperationMorocco-Kazakhstan relationsvisa exemption
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