The foreign ministers of the member states of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States expressed strong support for King Mohammed VI’s Atlantic Initiative during a follow-up meeting held Wednesday in New York, on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA).
Representatives from Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad reiterated their countries’ full adherence to the initiative, which aims to secure Sahel nations’ access to the Atlantic Ocean, and pledged to accelerate its implementation. The meeting was attended by Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, who has been spearheading coordination efforts.
Niger’s Foreign Minister, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, voiced deep gratitude to the King, recalling the April 28, audience in Rabat where King Mohammed VI personally presented his vision to the Sahel foreign ministers.
“His Majesty’s clear vision to give our countries access to the Atlantic touched us deeply,” Sangaré said, adding that task forces have already developed a project matrix that will soon be prioritized for immediate, short-term, and long-term implementation. “We are moving from conception to execution to show the world that the Atlantic Initiative is real and advancing,” he stated.
Mali’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, described the initiative as a unique mechanism strengthening ties between Morocco and the Sahel bloc. He commended Morocco’s “approach of respect and mutual listening,” noting that Rabat treats Sahel partners as equals during difficult times. “Morocco acts as a brother, listening and working with us on the solutions we need,” Diop said.
Burkina Faso’s top diplomat, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, emphasized that the King’s vision sees the Sahel not as a landlocked enclave but as a gateway of opportunities. “His Majesty considers the Sahel not as a land without a future but as a land of potential. This avant-garde vision is fundamental in relations with our states,” he remarked.
Chad’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul, noted the spirit of ambition and collaboration that characterized the New York meeting. “We are impressed by the ambition of the Atlantic Initiative. Chad is proud to join alongside our Sahel brothers,” he said, calling the initiative “a reservoir of opportunities and a chance for our peoples.” He underlined Morocco’s long-standing solidarity with Chad and stressed the need to translate discussions into tangible projects identified by the working groups.
King Mohammed VI launched the Atlantic Initiative on November 6, 2023, during his address marking the 48th anniversary of the Green March. The initiative seeks to end the Sahel’s isolation by opening secure access routes to the Atlantic, positioning the region as a key economic corridor and a driver of development for African integration.
