Rabat – King Mohammed VI delivered a message at the “Africa for the Ocean” Summit in Nice, calling on African countries to take greater ownership of their oceans and seas, which he described as vital to the continent’s future.
The message was read by Princess Lalla Hasnaa, who represented the King at the summit, co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The King commended President Macron for his commitment to ocean protection, and he welcomed the participation of African leaders in what he called an “unprecedented summit” focused on Africa’s shared coastline of more than 30,000 kilometers.
The monarch’s message spoke of the urgent need to move from simply recognizing Africa’s ocean potential to truly taking ownership of its maritime future. He noted that while Africa’s seas are rich in resources, they remain underutilized and poorly protected.
“The environment is a key element of ocean governance, but it is not its only facet. The ocean is also about our food sovereignty, our climate resilience, our energy security and our territorial cohesion,” the King said.
The King outlined a three-pillar strategy to reshape Africa’s relationship with the ocean. He said that the ocean economy, also called the “blue economy,” is no longer a luxury, but a strategic necessity. He cited Morocco’s own national strategy, which promotes sectors like sustainable aquaculture, offshore renewable energy, port development, marine biotechnology, and responsible coastal tourism.
Projects like the Tanger Med port and the planned ports of Nador West Med and Dakhla Atlantic are part of this vision.
In addition, King Mohammed VI called for more coordinated African efforts to manage the ocean collectively. He said Africa must work together to build safer trade routes, protect marine biodiversity, and gain a fair share of ocean resources. The monarch said that the Atlantic Ocean must be seen not just as a border, but as a space for shared development and cooperation.
The King also called for better coordination between African policies on the Atlantic and for including landlocked Sahel countries in this maritime vision by offering them reliable sea access. He recalled Morocco’s “African Atlantic States Initiative” and the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline project as examples of strategic African integration.
Ending his message, the King said the ocean should be seen as a space of peace, opportunity, and unity for Africa. “The ocean is, and will remain, a link, a shared space which we must protect and turn into an area that promotes peace, stability and development.”
