Rabat – Morocco’s Ambassador to South Africa Youssef El Amrani applauded King Mohammed VI’s recent proposal of a continental response to the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 in Africa.
In a new piece published on April 25 on Le Point Afrique, El Amrani explained that the King laid a foundation for true African solidarity.
“True African solidarity is taking shape, and the aspirations of unity and immunity exist today at the forefront of a continental agenda characterized by humanity, driven by leadership, and driven by a vision that leads firmly towards the future,” he said.
El Amrani explained that King Mohammed VI is adopting a solidarity approach for Africa, referencing the pan-African initiative that King Mohammed VI proposed on April 13.
During phone conversations with the President of Cote d’Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, and the President of Senegal, Macky Sall, the King called for a unified response to the COVID-19 challenges facing the continent.
In the discussions, the monarch asked for an African Heads of State initiative that seeks to establish an operational framework to accompany African countries as the pandemic spreads throughout the continent.
El Amrani explained that the King’s proposal is “fully consistent with the spirit of unity and solidarity that prevails on the continental scale.”
The Moroccan diplomat explained that the continent deserves modernization, democratic transformation, and openness.
“Strengthening the mechanisms of the African Union is, therefore, a necessary effort that must be made in the direction of clearly defined priorities and needs today, which is reviving economies, fighting manifestations of inequality and social inequalities,” El Amrani emphasized.
He stressed that strengthened mechanisms will boost inclusive growth while “building the future of prosperity, peace, and security for the continent.”
El Amrani made similar remarks in another op-ed published on April 7 in on Daily Maverick, describing Africa as a “cradle of humanity and land of values.”
“We need therefore to promote a new model of development that breaks with the norms of the past. A model that is in line with the realities of a continent with vast potential,” said Amrani.
