Rabat, The Europe Today: Morocco and Ecuador have agreed to waive visa requirements for Ecuadorian citizens holding ordinary passports, while seeking to expand cooperation in trade, tourism, energy and agriculture.
The Morocco Ecuador visa waiver agreement was signed on November 9 in Rabat by Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Roberto Carlos Kury Pesantes, during the latter’s official visit to the Kingdom.
Visa Exemption to Take Effect After Internal Procedures
According to Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry, the visa exemption will not take effect immediately. Morocco must first complete its internal procedures to formalize the agreement’s implementation, a process that could take up to one month.
The two ministers welcomed the agreement, Morocco’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, noting that the deal aims to facilitate travel to Morocco for Ecuadorian passport holders and encourage exchanges between the peoples of both countries.
Bilateral Roadmap for 2026-2028
The visit also provided an opportunity to establish a bilateral cooperation roadmap for 2026-2028, with both governments seeking to strengthen economic and commercial relations and explore new areas of partnership.
On trade, the two countries expressed their willingness to reduce tariffs on selected Ecuadorian products, with the list of eligible goods to be determined by mutual agreement.
The foreign ministers also agreed to organize the first meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), which Ecuador proposed to host virtually. The meeting is expected to provide a framework for identifying trade opportunities and advancing bilateral economic cooperation.
Energy Transition and Agricultural Cooperation
Beyond trade, the two sides discussed potential partnerships in agribusiness, energy transition, renewable energy and economic decarbonization, which Morocco’s Foreign Ministry described as important drivers of sustainable and resilient development.
Agricultural cooperation also featured prominently in the talks, with Morocco expressing interest in donating 2,000 tons of fertilizer to Ecuador.
Tourism Partnership and Planned MoU
Tourism emerged as another key area of cooperation alongside the Morocco Ecuador visa waiver. The Ecuadorian foreign minister met with Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy, Jalal Charaf, to discuss ways to strengthen ties between the two destinations. Their discussions focused on vocational training in tourism, the exchange of expertise and the promotion of travel between the two countries.
Kury said his visit aimed to encourage investment, trade and tourism, describing Morocco and Ecuador as friendly nations with shared values. He also invited Moroccans to discover Ecuador’s tourism potential.
For his part, Charaf said the two ministers discussed opportunities to promote mutual tourist flows and to benefit from the resources and potential of both destinations. He announced that the two governments were preparing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on tourism cooperation, which they intend to sign in the near future.
New Moroccan Embassy in Quito
During the visit, Morocco also announced plans to inaugurate its new embassy in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, as part of efforts to strengthen its diplomatic presence in Latin America and deepen bilateral relations.
Regional and International Issues
The talks also covered regional and international issues, including the Sahara. Ecuador reaffirmed its support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory within the framework of relevant United Nations resolutions.
With the visa waiver, the new roadmap and a tourism MoU in preparation, Rabat and Quito are signalling a new phase in their bilateral partnership.
