Ahram Online
Egyptian President Abd El-Fattah El-Sisi (Photo: AP)
Diplomatic efforts seem to have reduced recent tensions between Rabat and Cairo.
Egypt’s president has reiterated the importance of Egyptian-Moroccan relations, state news agency MENA reported, as tensions between the two states seem to have subsided.
In a phone call with King Mohamed VI of Morocco on Tuesday El-Sisi reportedly stressed that he would stand against any attempts to undermine the relations between the two countries.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Morocco last week in an attempt to mend bilateral relations.
A report about Egypt which aired on Moroccan state television in December had described El-Sisi as the leader of “a military coup,” sparking anger in Egypt.
Moroccan newspapers have also recently accused Egypt of supporting the independence of Western Sahara, a hot-button topic for Rabat, due to the recent close relations between Egypt and Algeria.
Algeria is a key backer of Western Sahara’s pro-independence Polisario Front.
MENA also reported on Tuesday that El-Sisi invited Mohamed VI to visit Egypt, after the king had extended him an invitation earlier this month to visit Morocco.
Last week Morocco’s Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar denounced what he described as “pathetic” attempts to strain relations between Egypt and Morocco.
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