Bourita and Lavrov discuss Western Sahara during New York meeting

Sunday 27 September 2026 - 12:35

Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed Western Sahara and the future of bilateral relations during a meeting in New York on September 25, on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two ministers reaffirmed their interest in maintaining diplomatic coordination on regional issues, including efforts to address the Western Sahara dispute and other conflicts through political and diplomatic channels.

Western Sahara on the diplomatic agenda

The Western Sahara issue featured prominently in the Russian account of the meeting. Moscow said the two sides reiterated their commitment to pursuing political and diplomatic solutions in accordance with what it described as generally recognized principles of international law and the UN Charter.

The meeting comes ahead of the expected consideration by the UN Security Council of the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO.

The Russian position, as presented in the statement on the Bourita-Lavrov meeting, places the issue within the framework of a UN-led political process rather than announcing a new bilateral position on the dispute.

Moscow and Rabat seek to maintain strategic ties

Beyond the Western Sahara dossier, the talks focused on the broader relationship between Morocco and Russia.

The Russian Foreign Ministry described the two countries’ ties as traditionally friendly and said both ministers discussed priorities for further developing their multifaceted cooperation.

Moscow also linked the current relationship to the Declaration on Deepening the Strategic Partnership signed on March 15, 2016, following King Mohammed VI’s visit to Russia. The declaration established a framework for expanding cooperation across several fields.

The latest meeting therefore comes within a longer period of regular political engagement between Rabat and Moscow rather than representing an isolated diplomatic contact.

Political consultations gain momentum

The Bourita-Lavrov meeting also follows recent efforts to strengthen institutional mechanisms for bilateral dialogue.

Morocco and Russia have been developing working-level channels in several areas, including political and economic cooperation. In September 2026, the two countries also held a bilateral customs working-group meeting in Rabat, focusing on the implementation of existing cooperation agreements and further coordination between their administrations.

These mechanisms provide additional platforms for the two countries to address practical issues alongside their wider diplomatic dialogue.

New York provides a wider diplomatic setting

The meeting took place during the high-level week of the 81st UN General Assembly, bringing together foreign ministers and senior officials for a series of bilateral and multilateral discussions.

For Morocco and Russia, the New York encounter combined two dimensions of their relationship: continued bilateral cooperation and coordination on regional questions discussed within the UN framework.

The Russian Foreign Ministry's public account focused on the two countries’ commitment to political and diplomatic engagement, while Morocco’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the meeting without publicly releasing comparable details. This leaves the Russian statement as the principal public account of the issues discussed.

A relationship shaped by several diplomatic files

The Bourita-Lavrov talks underline the range of issues linking Rabat and Moscow, from bilateral cooperation to questions on the UN agenda.

With the Western Sahara file continuing to feature in Security Council deliberations and Morocco and Russia maintaining established channels of political consultation, future contacts between the two capitals are likely to remain closely watched for indications of how Moscow approaches the dossier and its wider relationship with Rabat.