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Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said on Monday in Rabat that the country’s relations with Morocco were “stronger than emotion,” following the chaotic scenes at the Africa Cup of Nations(AFCON) final on January 18.
Speaking during a joint Senegal-Morocco commission meeting, Sonko said his visit was intended not to soothe tempers but to reaffirm the strong ties between the two nations.
He described the incidents at the match as “emotional spillovers driven by passion and not as political or cultural factors.”
The match, which ended with Senegal defeating Morocco 1-0, saw turbulence after Senegal protested a last-minute penalty awarded to Morocco.
Some Senegalese fans tried to storm the pitch, while others threw objects onto the field, and the Senegal team temporarily halted play for nearly 20 minutes before resuming and securing victory.
Morocco and Senegal cooperate across sectors such as tourism, energy, infrastructure, and transport, in addition to sharing deep religious connections.
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch supported Sonko’s comment stating that relations between Rabat and Dakar are “built on a solid foundation.”
Last week, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI also expressed confidence in “African brotherhood” despite the “unfortunate incidents” at the final.
Eighteen Senegalese supporters remain in pre-trial detention in Morocco on charges of hooliganism, with their trial postponed to next Thursday.
