Rabat – The Proliferation Security Initiative’s (PSI) meeting for North Africa started in Tanger on Tuesday, with the primary aim of promoting the initiative in Africa and encouraging more countries to join it.
The meeting also hopes to allow different countries in the region to exchange expertise and best practices, and strengthen domestic capacities as well as inter-ministerial cooperation to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Director of the United Nations and International Organizations at Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Redouane Houssaini highlighted the significance of Tanger as a host city for the meeting, citing its geographical position which connects “the Mediterranean basin and the African Atlantic seaboard.”
Houssaini called for the refocusing of efforts on non-proliferation in the Mediterranean area, citing unique characteristics and challenges such as the security threats in the Sahel and the region’s international commercial importance.
The official also highlighted Morocco’s efforts in the field, which “remain committed to the strategic objectives of strengthening national capacities in Africa and regional and sub-regional cooperation.”
Houssaini said Morocco follows a “pragmatic” approach to face the challenge of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Director of the Office of Counterproliferation Initiatives Thomas W. Zarzecki at the US State Department, similarly praised Morocco’s efforts, emphasizing that it has come to occupy a leadership position in Africa in the field.
The official said that Washington DC and Rabat both share the vision of expanding the initiative, and added that the US is willing to continue sharing expertise with Moroccan security officials.
The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) describes itself as a “multinational response to the challenge posed by the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).”
The initiative will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2003, with over one hundred nations having endorsed it so far. Morocco joined the list of endorsing countries in 2008.
