Moroccan king gets tumultuous welcome in Dar
King Mohammed VI of Morocco is presented with a bouquet by a little girl upon his arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport yesterday. PHOTO|CORRESPENDENT
What you need to know:
- The monarch is on the second leg of a tour of East Africa, having visited Rwanda before jetting into Tanzania.
Dar es Salaam. King Mohammed VI of Morocco arrived in the country yesterday for a three-day state visit.
The monarch is on the second leg of a tour of East Africa, having visited Rwanda before jetting into Tanzania.
King Mohammed and his entourage arrived aboard a Boeing 747 of the Moroccan national carrier, Air Maroc, which touched down at Julius Nyerere International Airport at 5.04pm
On hand to welcome him was President John Magufuli, who was accompanied by Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa and other senior government officials.
King Mohammed received a 21-gun salute as the national anthems were being played before he was accompanied by the Chief of Defence Forces, General Davis Mwamunyange, to inspect a guard of honour mounted by members of the Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces. He then returned to the dais for another round of national anthems.
Some Moroccan nationals living in Tanzania were introduced to the monarch before he viewed traditional dances after which he left the airport.
King Mohammed is today expected to meet President Magufuli at State House for an exchange of gifts and conferring of honours. The two leaders will also be briefed by the countries’ foreign affairs ministers on the outcome of a business forum and will thereafter witness the signing of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding.
There will be no speeches, and the two leaders will take part in a photo opportunity before the monarch leaves for his hotel.
King Mohammed will tomorrow be accompanied by Mr Majaliwa to the construction site of a new mosque at the Muslim Council of Tanzania (Bakwata) headquarters in Dar es Salaam.
The state guest will also have private tours of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Zanzibar before concluding his visit on Sunday.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, East African, Regional and International Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga, recently said the royal tour has aimed at broadening economic and diplomatic relations between the two countries.
