Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita stressed the country’s role as a gateway for diplomacy and south-south cooperation on Monday, as he sought to promote solidarity and cooperation with African countries.
In a speech read on his behalf during a national colloquium held in the southern city of Laayoune, Bourita noted that Morocco’s foreign policy aims to consolidate the African Union, which the kingdom rejoined in 2017 after an absence of 33 years.
Bourita further underlined that Morocco’s return to the African Union “is the result of a pro-active and sustained policy of King Mohammed VI and his vision to develop a strong and active south-south cooperation.”
The Moroccan FM recalled King Mohammed VI’s previous visits to 30 countries across the continent to strengthen Morocco’s position in Africa and boost strategic partnerships. The visits also resulted in the implementation of several giant projects.
Among the projects is the Africa-Atlantic Gas Pipeline, the continent’s longest gas pipeline, which reaches Morocco and beyond and serves as an example of how regional integration could transform the landscape of Atlantic Africa.
Expressing interest to cooperate with other African countries in several fields, including security, culture, and socio-economic development, Morocco has established more than 1,000 agreements across Africa to boost partnerships between the public and private sectors.
Security cooperation and religious tolerance
Regarding peace, security, and stability, Bourita recalled Morocco’s commitment to the emerging challenges in the continent, noting that the kingdom has been “always one of the first countries to defend the stability of the African continent.”
“Morocco considers that the fight against security threats in Africa requires collective actions involving sub-regional cooperation strengthened by the contribution of the international community,” he added.
Morocco is currently working with the international community to restore peace and stability in Mali, the Central African Republic, the Ivory Coast, and DR Congo.
Bourita further highlighted that sub-regional integration in Africa is critical to a sustainable strategy to ensure stability, calling for continuous dialogue and efforts to enable the continent to find appropriate solutions to issues that hinder its prosperity.
The Moroccan diplomat also outlined the kingdom’s leading role in embracing diversity, cross-cultural exchange, and inter-religious dialogue, thus setting an example for religious cooperation not only in Africa but worldwide.
Religious authorities in several African countries repeatedly expressed interest to learn from Morocco’s experience in fostering religious cooperation through a training program for its imams.
In 2015, Morocco established the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulemas (Islamic scholars), an Islamic religious institution seeking to prevent radicalization and fight sectarianism within Islam.
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