King Mohammed VI is committed to Moroccan-African cooperation

Driven by the firm conviction that Africa's socio-economic development depends on fruitful and beneficial cooperation between all African countries, Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has multiplied initiatives that bring hope to the African continent. 

The Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline megaproject, the Africa-Atlantic Initiative, the major investments of Moroccan groups in Africa, the cancellation of the debt of the least developed African countries, the development and preservation of the Pangalanes canal in Madagascar, are some of the actions that illustrate the special attention of the Sovereign to the development of Africa.

Since his enthronement, His Majesty the King has infused a new dynamism into the Morocco-Africa partnership, driven by an unwavering belief in the community of destiny and in the imperative of joining forces to bring Africa to its rightful place.

Thanks to this real will, Morocco has forged fruitful partnerships with a number of African countries. Nearly 1,500 cooperation agreements currently link the Kingdom with African states, reflecting the Sovereign's ongoing commitment to rich and diversified intra-African cooperation. 

This commitment to a prosperous Africa has never wavered, being at the heart of the Kingdom's foreign policy, which has always ensured that the continent is at the centre of its strategic choices. 

"Africa is a choice of heart and reason. It is a clear and proactive choice, materialised by our commitment through numerous initiatives that energise and promote inter-African cooperation and economic development. A choice to make investment today a driver of economic and social development and regional and continental integration in Africa," said His Majesty the King in a message to the launch conference of the African Sovereign Investors Forum in July 2022. 

To realise the royal vision of a prosperous Africa, the Sovereign has made numerous visits to various countries on the continent, where he has launched large-scale projects in the service of "win-win" partnerships. 

Among these flagship projects aimed at promoting regional integration is the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline, whose inauguration ceremony was presided over in Abuja in 2016 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI and former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. 

In the same spirit, the Kingdom has created an institutional framework that brings together the 23 Atlantic African States to consolidate shared prosperity in the region. The Sovereign expressed his confidence that this initiative, which aims to give the Sahel States access to the Atlantic Ocean, "will substantially transform the economy of these brotherly countries and, beyond that, the entire region". 

According to many foreign officials, this ambitious Initiative, which is in line with His Majesty the King's multidimensional approach to the continent, will lead to a real transformation in the region. 

This Initiative "aims to create a space for development, solidarity and stability on the continent," declared Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara in a statement to the MAP agency on the occasion of the glorious Throne Day. 

A view shared by the Vice-President of the Republic of El Salvador, Felix Ulloa, who believes that this pioneering initiative "is likely to consolidate regional economic integration and foster an enabling environment for growth and sustainable development". 

In this regard, the Pan-African Parliament also described this vision of the Sovereign as "ambitious and inclusive", aimed at realising the dream of a prosperous and interconnected Africa. 

Another generous act in favour of the continent is Morocco's decision to write off the debt of the least developed African countries, while completely exempting their products from customs duties when entering the Moroccan market. 

His Majesty the King's initiatives for a prosperous Africa are not limited to the public sector. In addition to the inter-state commissions set up during royal visits to Africa, the Kingdom is ensuring an increasingly active role for the private sector, with a view to consolidating Africa as a preferred destination for Moroccan and foreign investment.