Morocco's Atlantic African Leadership Wins Ministerial Praise

Doha – Foreign Ministers gathered at the 5th ministerial meeting of the Atlantic African States Process (AASP) in Praia praised Morocco's growing regional leadership role on Thursday. They commended the country's efforts in advancing the initiative aimed at transforming the African Atlantic space into a zone of peace and prosperity.
Cape Verde's Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Fiomeno de Carvalho Dias, pointed to Morocco's crucial support. 'The decisive role of the Process's permanent secretariat based in Rabat has been essential to the progress of this initiative,' he told MAP news agency.
Dias confirmed Cape Verde's commitment to continue working with all member states. The goal remains creating 'an Atlantic region of peace, prosperity, and shared development.'
Gambia's Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara credited Morocco's leadership while noting the initiative 'belongs to all of us.' He said the vision originates from 'the wisdom of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has always advocated for the Atlantic space to be a space of solidarity, peace, and prosperity.'
For her part, São Tomé and Príncipe's Foreign Minister Ilza Maria dos Santos Amado Vaz described the meeting as 'very positive.' She reaffirmed her country's commitment to implement strategies based on political dialogue.
Ghana's Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa praised the royal initiative as 'a suitable platform for strengthening cooperation.' He called for increased security cooperation to address rising threats in the Atlantic area, including criminal and piracy activities.
Mohamed Methqal, Director General of the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation, affirmed the meeting's key purpose. The gathering 'serves to implement His Majesty the King's initiative promoting peace, shared prosperity, and the vitality of the Atlantic coast,' he stated.
The meeting adopted the first implementation report since the initiative's launch. Ministers formalized various recommendations and scheduled the next ministerial meeting for September, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
'Atlantic Africa cannot be a periphery'
Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita addressed participants by stressing that the partnership 'is not just a strategic instrument, but also a political, economic, and human process.'
'Our duty is to make it a reality, a visible, tangible and sustainable reality,' Bourita said. He reaffirmed 'the full determination of the Kingdom of Morocco to advance this dynamic, guarantee its continuity, and strengthen its scope.'
Bourita pointed to major initiatives reflecting Morocco's approach. These include the Forum of Ministers of Justice in April 2024, the Presidents of Parliaments meeting in February 2025, and the Conference on Maritime Security and Counterterrorism in January 2025.
'For His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Atlantic Africa cannot be a periphery of the global world. It is a geostrategic heart, a dynamic interface between continents,' Bourita declared.
The initiative connects with Morocco's plan to provide landlocked Sahel countries access to the Atlantic Ocean. This project centers on the Dakhla Atlantique complex in Western Sahara, expected to be completed by late 2028.
The first ministerial meeting of African Atlantic states took place in August 2010 in Rabat. After a 13-year pause, the initiative was reactivated in June 2022. King Mohammed VI's speech on November 6, 2023, placed the African Atlantic states at the center of Morocco's African policy.
Through this initiative, Morocco continues to strengthen its position as an emerging African power working for an integrated continent. Tags: Atlantic initiativeMorocco and Africa

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Maroc

8 hours ago

• Maroc

Morocco Elected Vice-President of Permanent Conference of African & Francophone Consular Chambers

The President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIS) of Fez-Meknes, Hamza Benabdellah, was elected Vice-President of the Permanent Conference of African and Francophone Consular Chambers (CPCCAF) on Friday in Fez, during the 49th ordinary session of the organization's General Assembly. This statutory meeting, held on the sidelines of the 5th edition of the Fez-Meknes Economic Forum, was also marked by the election of Youssouf Moussa Dawaleh, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Djibouti, as the new head of CPCCAF, succeeding Christophe Eken, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Cameroon. In a statement to MAP, Benabdellah emphasized that this "important" elective assembly led to the formation of a new executive bureau and the election of a new president. He expressed pride in the Fez-Meknes CCIS being elected for the first time to the vice-presidency of CPCCAF, which includes over 80 consular chambers from 24 French-speaking countries. This election is "a recognition of the work accomplished by the Chamber in developing its international relations in support of active economic diplomacy, particularly with African and Francophone countries," he added, noting that this new responsibility will "enhance the visibility and impact of Fez on the continental and Francophone scale." For his part, Dawaleh said he was "deeply honored to have been elected President of CPCCAF in such an emblematic city as Fez, known for its historical and cultural heritage, as well as its economic and commercial influence." The newly elected president expressed his sincere gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco for the warm hospitality and exemplary organization of the event. The Permanent Conference of African and Francophone Consular Chambers and Intermediary Organizations (CPCCAF) was created in 1973 with the aim of supporting the development of the African private sector through cooperation among its network's consular chambers and fostering economic exchanges among member countries. (MAP: 22 June 2025)

Ya Biladi

5 days ago

• Ya Biladi

Following Occitanie, more French regions show interest in the Sahara's economic potential

DR Estimated read time: 1' A delegation from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region is on a working visit to Laayoune. Jean-Pierre Colin, Vice President of the regional council in charge of finance and cooperation partnerships, told MAP that the purpose of the visit is to «explore the possibility of a cooperation agreement» with the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra regional council, particularly in the field of renewable energy. Jean-Pierre Colin, vice-president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in charge of finance and cooperation partnerships, during a press statement on a working visit to Laâyoune. — Agence MAP (@MAP_Information) June 17, 2025 «This is an important issue for us, one we want to develop with Morocco, especially with the symbolic region of Laayoune», he said. Colin also noted that PACA is already working with Barcelona on similar projects. During the visit, the French delegation explored several economic and cultural initiatives in the capital of the Moroccan Sahara. The PACA delegation's visit comes just weeks after a partnership agreement was signed between the Occitanie region and the Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab regional council. French President Emmanuel Macron formally recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara in a letter sent to King Mohammed VI on July 30, 2024, and reaffirmed this stance in a speech before the Moroccan Parliament on October 29.

Maroc

5 days ago

• Maroc

Morocco, Model of Tolerance & Interfaith Dialogue

The Kingdom of Morocco stands out as a model of tolerance, coexistence, and interfaith dialogue, affirmed participants on Tuesday in Tangier at the Forum of Tolerance, organized at the initiative of the Moroccan Center for Tolerance and Interfaith Dialogue. Held in coordination with the Adam Foundation for Human Fraternity, the Archdiocese of Tangier, and the Jewish Community of the Marrakech-Safi region, under the theme "Human Fraternity in the Face of Hate Speech: A Global Battle for Coexistence and Tolerance," the forum provided a platform for participants to highlight Morocco's unique position—amid rising global tensions and conflict—as an oasis of dialogue, coexistence, and religious tolerance, guided by the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful. "From the city of Tangier, we hope to plant a seed of peace, with the hope that it will grow into a mighty tree sheltering Christians, Jews, Muslims, and people of all faiths and ethnicities, united by human dignity, for a more just world and a more fraternal society, as is the case in Morocco, where we all coexist peacefully," stated, in this regard, Emilio Rocha Grande, Archbishop of Tangier. He expressed his joy in participating in this forum, hosted at Tangier Cathedral, emphasizing its role in promoting interfaith dialogue and its value as an opportunity to express hope for peace and to reject all hate speech that fuels violence and divisions—especially in today's climate of heightened international tensions. For his part, Moisés Amselem Elbaz, President of the Jewish Moroccan Association of Mexico, stated that Morocco, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is a model of coexistence among the three monotheistic religions. Speaking to MAP, he emphasized the importance of maintaining dialogue among religious representatives both within Morocco and internationally, to build bridges of cooperation between nations in accordance with religious teachings. Mohamed Aabidou, President of the Moroccan Center for Tolerance and Interfaith Dialogue, noted that this forum commemorates the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, highlighting that it is an occasion to remember Morocco's role—under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful—in promoting values of tolerance and love among peoples. He added that the forum is also an opportunity for everyone to come together, pray for peace, spread values of love, tolerance, and coexistence to help end wars, and to remember the values that unite us as human beings in rejecting hate speech, which endangers humanity's future. The forum also showcased the pivotal role of Morocco and the Commandership of the Faithful in spreading the values of tolerance, peace, and coexistence, as well as in building cooperative and fraternal ties among different religions. It further emphasized the important role of religious leaders in bridging faiths through dialogue, communication, and calls for religious tolerance and the rejection of violence, extremism, and hatred of others. According to a press release from the organizers, Morocco boasts a long history of tolerance and coexistence among different cultures and religions and represents a beacon of hope for humanity—serving as a unique example of a Muslim country where all communities have long lived in harmony.