Strengthening Diplomatic and Cultural Ties - Canberra Visit

Canberra, July 2026 – H.E. Roland Jabbour OAM, Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Morocco in Victoria, recently undertook a series of diplomatic and cultural engagements in Canberra, reinforcing his longstanding commitment to strengthening relationships between Australia, Morocco and the broader Arab world.

During the four-day visit from 27–30 July 2026, Mr Jabbour participated in a number of meetings and official functions involving ambassadors, cultural representatives and members of Canberra’s diplomatic community.

The visit commenced with attendance at an official function marking Egypt’s National Day, providing an opportunity to engage with representatives of the diplomatic community and celebrate the longstanding friendship between Egypt and Australia.

Mr Jabbour also held a courtesy engagement with representatives of the United Arab Emirates Cultural Office, followed by a meeting with H.E. Dr Fahad Obaid Mohamed Obaid Altaffag, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Australia. The engagements continued Mr Jabbour’s longstanding involvement in fostering stronger cultural, educational and diplomatic connections between Australia and the Middle East.

On Wednesday, Mr Jabbour met with H.E. Mr Malek H M A Alwazzan, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Australia, as well as Dr Abeer Al-Hassan Abbas, Cultural Attaché and Head of the Kuwait Cultural Office in Canberra. These engagements provided an important opportunity to maintain relationships with key representatives from the Gulf region and support continued people-to-people, educational and institutional connections.

A major highlight of the Canberra visit was Mr Jabbour’s attendance at the official reception commemorating the 27th Anniversary of the Accession of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to the Throne of the Kingdom of Morocco on 30 July.

Hosted by H.E. Wassane Zailachi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Australia, the reception brought together representatives of the Australian Government, diplomatic corps, parliamentarians, business leaders, members of the Moroccan community and friends of Morocco.

The occasion held particular significance in 2026, which marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Morocco. It provided an opportunity to celebrate Morocco’s achievements under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI while recognising the strong and evolving relationship between the two countries.

As Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Morocco in Victoria, Mr Jabbour remains committed to supporting closer diplomatic, cultural, educational and economic engagement between Morocco and Australia, while continuing to build meaningful relationships across the wider Arab diplomatic community.

The Canberra visit further reflected his longstanding commitment to strengthening international partnerships, encouraging cross-cultural understanding and building enduring connections between Australia and the MENA region.