Morocco, with its historical ties and its deep roots in Africa, has always worked to promote a global strategy of South-South cooperation that is united, multifaceted and coherent with African countries in the security, socio-economic, technical, cultural and human, said Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad, Nasser Bourita.
Mr. Bourita stressed, in a speech read on his behalf by the Acting Director of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad, Lamia Radi, during the work of the national symposium on “Africa in the thought and action of His Majesty King Mohammed VI”, organized Monday in Laayoune, which the foreign policy of the Kingdom of Morocco, within the framework of South-South cooperation, aims to consolidate and strengthen African unity, which was particularly illustrated by the creation of the Organization of African Unity, of which Morocco is one of the founding members.
The Minister indicated that Morocco’s return to its institutional family, the African Union, on the occasion of the 28th Summit of the Union on January 30, 2017 in Addis Ababa, is the result of a proactive and supported by HM King Mohammed VI, and a royal vision in favor of the development of strong and active South-South cooperation.
Mr. Bourita said that since His accession to the Throne, HM King Mohammed VI has made official visits to more than 30 African countries with a view to consolidating Morocco’s African belonging and raising its cooperation relations with African countries towards an active and united strategic partnership, emphasizing that these Royal visits have resulted in the implementation of large-scale strategic projects, in particular, the Africa-Atlantic Gas Pipeline project which will allow the transport of gas from producing countries to Europe, and also the conclusion of more than 1000 agreements with African countries in various fields involving the public and private sectors.
With regard to peace, security and stability, Mr. Bourita recalled that the Kingdom of Morocco, strong in its historical ties and faithful to its mission as a player committed to security and stability in Africa, has been, as HM the King pointed out at the 28th African Union Summit, “always one of the first countries to defend the stability of the African continent”.
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Aware that the approaches of exclusion and sidelining have revealed their limits and their ineffectiveness, Morocco considers that the fight against security threats in Africa can only produce its effects by being part of the collective actions involving sub-regional cooperation reinforced by the contribution of the international community, he said.
In this context and as a partner for peace and security in Africa, Mr. Bourita noted that Morocco is contributing to the efforts of the international community to restore peace and stability in Mali, in the Central African Republic and in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and which it also continues to make available to fellow African countries and friends who so wish, all its experience and resources to help them establish and preserve security and peace in their countries.
With regard to the cultural and religious aspect, Mr. Bourita pointed out that thanks to its open and tolerant religious model and to the reforms undertaken under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom of Morocco is setting an example in the field of religious cooperation.
In accordance with the Guidelines of HM King Mohammed VI, Amir Al Mouminine, Morocco has responded favorably to the requests made by the religious authorities of several African countries to take advantage of the Moroccan experience, in particular through a training program for imams and the creation of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulemas.
On the other hand, Mr. Bourita recalled that sub-regional integration in Africa is the keystone of a lasting strategy of stability, stressing that Morocco continues to plead for the completion of the processes of this integration to overcome the consequences of the fragmentation to which the continent is subject, and the emergence of integrated spaces that are economically viable and meet the legitimate aspirations of populations in terms of free movement and shared prosperity.
The Minister concluded that concerted efforts and the strengthening of consultation and dialogue will enable the African continent to find appropriate solutions to the problems that hinder its prosperity.
Organized on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the Throne Day, as part of the third session of the seasonal University of Laayoune, by the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences – Agdal under the University Mohammed V, and Organization of Peace and Tolerance for Democracy and Human Rights, this Forum was marked by the holding of a series of interventions focused on “the roles and opportunities of Royal diplomacy and South-South cooperation”, “Moroccan-African relations, a strong and significant spirit of partnership”, “the historical and spiritual dimension of Moroccan-African relations”, “the political and geostrategic aspects of Moroccan-African relations”.
The wali of the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region, governor of the province of Laâyoune, the roving ambassador in charge of human rights issues, Ahmed Herzenni, took part in this forum organized at the higher school of technology, the president of the Mohammed V University in Rabat, Mohamed El Rhachi, and the consuls of a number of African countries accredited to Laayoune, the deans of the faculties of the Mohammed V, Ibn Zohr and Cadi Ayyad universities, as well as an audience of university professors, experts, association actors and Moroccan and foreign students.
With MAP