Doha – Presidents and representatives of African Atlantic parliamentary institutions concluded their four-day meeting in Rabat yesterday, endorsing key regional initiatives including Morocco’s Atlantic access project for Sahel states and the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline project, as outlined in the comprehensive Rabat Declaration.
The meeting, hosted at Morocco’s House of Representatives from February 2-6, resulted in a detailed declaration supporting the “African Atlantic States Process” (AASP), which seeks to transform the African Atlantic facade into “a space for integration, prosperity, attractiveness, and connection with the world.”
Speaker of Morocco’s House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami, pointed out the participants’ strong endorsement of the Royal Initiative.
“The participants emphasized the need to create an institution to support governments in implementing this project,” Talbi Alami stated in a press briefing following the meeting.
Signed by representatives from 20 African nations, the declaration specifically praised “the African Atlantic States Process initiated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI” and its complementarity with the initiative to provide Sahel states access to the Atlantic Ocean.
It emphasized several key challenges facing the continent, including “separatist tendencies, terrorism, extremism, and cross-border conflicts,” while highlighting Africa’s significant potential in “arable land, mining, and strategic energy resources for industry and technologies needed by the world.”
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Regarding economic partnerships, the declaration stressed the importance of “establishing fair, balanced, and dynamic partnerships based on mutual interest” capable of promoting Africa’s renaissance through “investment implementation, technology transfer, skills, and knowledge.”
The parliamentary leaders expressed strong support for two major regional projects. The declaration exalted the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, which will connect 13 African states to Europe and serve as an economic artery for the region.
Additionally, the parliamentary leaders endorsed the initiative designed to facilitate Sahel states’ access to the Atlantic Ocean.
To ensure sustained cooperation, the participants announced the creation of a parliamentary network with representation from national parliaments and established a technical secretariat for monitoring actions.
The meeting brought together parliamentary leaders from multiple African nations, including Benin’s Louis Gbèhounou Vlavonou, Congo’s Isidore Mvouba, Nigeria’s Tajudeen Abbas, and Senegal’s Malick Ndiaye, among others.
Their declaration concluded by emphasizing the principle that “Africa must trust Africa” and accentuating the importance of resolving disputes through dialogue and peaceful means.
It also called for promoting the AASP internationally to attract global investors, including states, financial institutions, and international companies.
This parliamentary gathering aimed to strengthen inter-parliamentary dialogue in Atlantic Africa, establish foundations for a dedicated parliamentary network, and foster structured collaboration among member states on issues including sustainable resource management, maritime security, investment, and regional integration.
