Syria reaffirms support for Morocco on Western Sahara conflict

Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita received his Syrian counterpart Asaad al- Shaibani in Rabat to work on consolidating bilateral relations, report Atalayar on 15th May. This is the first official visit by a Syrian diplomat to Morocco since the fall of the Assad regime, and on this occasion, al-Shaibani reopened the Syrian Arab Republic embassy in Rabat after 13 years of closure , in a ceremony attended by Bourita and other senior Moroccan diplomats.

This is a particularly significant event for Syrian-Moroccan relations, as they have historically been strained: Morocco had tense relations with the Assad regime, who supported the Polisario militias and the independence of the Western Sahara. Both countries cut ties in 2012 at the height of Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown against the Syrian population, leading to the closure of embassies in both countries.

Morocco was thus one of the first country to welcome the fall of the Syrian dictator in 2024, and has collaborated with the new regime since then. The Moroccan embassy in Damascus reopened in July 2025, as a sign of trust in the transitional regime. King Mohammed V also sent a personal letter to President Ahmed al-Sharaa, reaffirming his support for the Syrian people’s fight for freedom and security.

In return, the inauguration of the Syrian embassy in Morocco reflects the desire to “turn a promising new page” with the Kingdom, according to the Syrian minister. These plans had already been discussed in 2025 when al-Sharaa mentioned his desire to visit Morocco. In May 2025, Syria also officially cut ties with the Polisario Front and expressed its support for the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Sahrawi people and its respect for Moroccan territorial sovereignty.

The visit was also an occasion for the ministers to discuss the worsening situation in Gaza and occupied West Bank, with al-Shaibani praising the King’s role as chairman of the al-Quds committee, which aims to protect Jerusalem’s cultural heritage, and Morocco’s consistent support for the rights of Palestinian people.

Atalayar, Diplomatie.ma, Maghribi.org