Bourita meets Saudi, Lebanese and Emirati officials during UN General Assembly

Saturday 26 September 2026 - 16:15

Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita held a series of meetings with senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates in New York on Friday, as diplomatic activity intensified around the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The meetings brought together Bourita with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Lebanese Foreign Minister and Emigrants Youssef Rajji, and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber.

The discussions focused primarily on bilateral relations and cooperation, with the officials reviewing existing areas of partnership and examining ways to further develop ties between Morocco and the three Arab countries.

Diplomacy on the margins of the UN General Assembly

Bourita’s meetings took place alongside the high-level diplomatic activity surrounding the UN General Assembly in New York. The annual gathering brings together senior representatives from the UN’s 193 member states and provides an important setting for bilateral discussions between governments.

The Moroccan minister’s schedule reflected the broad range of diplomatic contacts taking place during the session, with discussions extending beyond bilateral affairs to wider regional and international developments.

Morocco and Saudi Arabia review cooperation

During his meeting with Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Bourita reviewed the state of relations between Morocco and Saudi Arabia and discussed areas where bilateral cooperation could be strengthened.

The two ministers also exchanged views on issues of shared interest, while considering opportunities for greater coordination within international institutions.

Talks with Lebanon focus on bilateral ties

Bourita also met Youssef Rajji, Lebanon’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.

The talks provided an opportunity to review Morocco-Lebanon relations and discuss prospects for expanding cooperation across areas of mutual interest. Regional and international developments were also part of the discussions.

The meeting came as Arab and international foreign ministers used the UN General Assembly week to maintain diplomatic contacts on a range of regional issues.

Industrial and technology cooperation with the UAE

Bourita’s third meeting was with Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology.

The discussions covered bilateral cooperation, with the two sides examining ways to strengthen existing partnerships and develop further areas of collaboration.

The presence of economic and industrial issues alongside traditional diplomatic discussions also reflects the increasingly broad agenda of bilateral relations between Arab countries.

Coordination in international forums

Beyond bilateral cooperation, the meetings addressed several regional and international matters of common interest.

The officials discussed ways to coordinate positions within international organizations, an important dimension of diplomatic engagement during the UN General Assembly.

Bourita’s meetings form part of Morocco’s wider diplomatic activity in New York during the 81st session. The UN’s high-level week opened on September 22, bringing heads of state, government leaders and senior ministers together for discussions on international security, conflicts, development and other global challenges.

The Moroccan minister has also held discussions with other international officials during the session. The President of the 81st UN General Assembly, Khalilur Rahman, met Bourita on September 24 to exchange views on multilateral cooperation, peacebuilding, UN peacekeeping and institutional reform.