Rabat – Marrakech is set to host a ministerial meeting on Saturday to coordinate King Mohammed VI’s international initiative to strengthen the access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean.
The meeting will see participation from the foreign ministers of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad, who are set to discuss the initiative which was initially announced by the King during his speech for the 48th anniversary of the Green March.
During the speech, the King had stressed that the problems facing the countries of the Sahel “will not be solved by security and military measures alone, but rather by an approach based on cooperation and shared development.”
“I therefore suggest that we launch an international initiative to enable the Sahel countries to have access to the Atlantic Ocean,” the monarch said.
He stressed that such an initiative would depend heavily on upgrading infrastructure in the Sahel to allow the countries to connect to transport and communication networks that exist in the region.
“Morocco is willing to put its road, port and rail infrastructure at the disposal of these sister countries, since we believe that such an initiative will bring about a fundamental transformation not only in the economies of these countries, but also in the entire region,” he added.
The initiative is indicative of Morocco’s approach to strengthen cooperation with other African countries, especially in the Sahel region.
Earlier this year, the country called on the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) to prioritize a coordinated approach to tackle terrorism and violent extremism in the Sahel region.
The country’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has also welcomed structural reforms introduced last year to advance economic development and preserve peace in the region.
