African Ambassadors hail credibility, boldness of Moroccan King’s Atlantic initiative

DAKHLA - Ambassadors from several African countries hailed Wednesday in Dakhla, the “credibility” and “boldness” of King Mohammed VI's initiative to promote access to the Atlantic Ocean for Sahel countries.

“Despite the security challenges facing Sahel countries, Morocco, through the Royal Initiative, strives to make the Atlantic coast a large-scale economic integration center,” they stated during a panel on “The Atlantic Initiative and economic integration”, organized as part of the 5th edition of the “International Days of Macroeconomics and Finance” (JIMF).

The Ambassadors also unanimously stressed that poverty is at the root of many of the problems hampering the development of Sahel countries, hence the importance of this Initiative, which will undoubtedly boost the development of the African economy.

Speaking on this occasion, Niger's Ambassador to Morocco, Salissou Ada, said that the Royal Atlantic Initiative would facilitate the mobility of people and goods, and support the economy of Sahel countries, connecting them to the global economy, notably through the port of Dakhla Atlantique.

The Nigerien diplomat also emphasized the deep ties that bind Morocco to its African roots, pointing out that the Royal Initiative is part of a major project aimed at strengthening Morocco's anchorage in its African environment and creating an area of progress, peace, solidarity and shared prosperity.

For his part, Ambassador, Director General of the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI), Mohamed Methqal, said that King Mohammed VI made South-South cooperation the main pillar of the Kingdom’s foreign policy, by putting Africa at the center of its priorities.

This Royal commitment towards Africa, he added, is reflected in the structuring projects launched across the continent and the thousands of agreements signed since 1999. 

Methqal also emphasized the special attention Morocco pays to human development in Africa, placing the human element at the center of all its actions, projects and programs.

For his part, Ambassador of the Republic of Burkina Faso to Morocco, Mamadou Coulibaly, stated that the Royal Initiative for the Atlantic will turn the Atlantic seaboard into a high-place of human communion, a hub of economic integration and a center of continental and international influence, noting that through this Initiative, Morocco would enable the Sahel states to access the resources and means for a developed and united Africa.

In this respect, he noted that the Afro-Atlantic and Sahel area represents “46% of the African population, 55% of gross domestic product (GDP) and 57% of continental trade,” adding that the Initiative aims to federate efforts around a common vision to take full advantage of the potential of Sahel countries.

For his part, Chad's Ambassador to Morocco, Hassan Adoum Bakhit Haggar, said that this “joint action proposed by Morocco is an ideal opportunity to further strengthen our sphere of economic cooperation,” while simultaneously praising the Kingdom's efforts to make its port, road and maritime infrastructures available to Sahel countries in order to make a success of this promising project.

In this vein, he expressed his determination, like other member countries of the Initiative, to support Morocco in mobilizing resources and financing the various infrastructure projects needed to implement this ambitious Initiative.

Also taking part in the panel were Mali's Ambassador to Morocco, Fafre Camara, and the President of the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council of the Republic of Mali, Yacouba Katilé.