Morocco’s El Mansouri wears traditional caftan at Kremlin reception

Morocco’s head of government, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, attended a reception hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on 28 October 2026, wearing a traditional Moroccan caftan, the Moroccan government said.

The reception brought together heads of state, government leaders and delegations attending the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow. El Mansouri was representing King Mohammed VI at the gathering, according to the Moroccan government’s official website.

Photographs published by Morocco World News showed El Mansouri wearing a gold-coloured caftan with detailed embroidery and a matching belt as she greeted Putin.

The visit was her first official trip abroad since her appointment as head of government on 29 September, Morocco World News reported.

The summit, held on 28 and 29 October, aims to expand cooperation between Russia and African countries in trade, investment, energy, agriculture and technology. The Moroccan delegation also included Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Morocco’s ambassador to Russia, Lotfi Bouchaara, the government said.

The meeting followed earlier Russia-Africa summits in Sochi in 2019 and St Petersburg in 2023.

The caftan is a traditional garment worn for celebrations and significant social occasions. Its production involves specialist skills in weaving, tailoring and decorative work, including embroidery and beadwork.

In 2025, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization added Moroccan Caftan: art, traditions and skills to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The summit continued in Moscow on 29 October.