Mauritian PM Hails HM the King's Leadership in Uniting Africa on Ocean Governance
In a statement to MAP on the sidelines of the Africa for the Ocean Summit, co-chaired by Morocco and France, Ramgoolam commended HM King Mohammed VI for "this very significant" initiative of bringing African leaders together to speak with one voice on the preservation of our oceans and maritime resources.
He also praised the numerous initiatives launched by the Kingdom, driven by the Sovereign's leadership, which "play a key role in unifying the voice of Africans."
"This is a first step, particularly for the Atlantic, toward establishing a comprehensive and coordinated policy and strategy."
The "Africa for the Ocean" Summit, co-chaired by HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa, Representative of His Majesty the King, and French President Emmanuel Macron, was held as part of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which continues in Nice through June 13.
MAP: 09 June 2025
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Though Japan does not formally recognize the so-called 'sadr,' its participation in TICAD events, justified by African Union membership, raises legitimate concerns. That membership, granted through an administrative maneuver in 1984 rather than a political consensus, remains a point of contention across the continent. It should be underscored that major actors, including the United States, Russia, South Korea, India, and Turkey, have excluded the so-called 'SADR' from their Africa Ministerial meetings and summits, citing concerns over legitimacy, governance, and regional coherence. Japan's continued divergence, however well-intentioned, risks being perceived not as neutrality but as strategic misalignment, especially as Africa's diplomatic landscape evolves. Recent developments in the U.S. Congress, notably the proposed ' Polisario' Front Terrorist Designation Act , underscore rising concern over the group's ties to Iran and Hezbollah. 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This African momentum, rooted in sovereignty and realism, offers Japan an opportunity to recalibrate TICAD's posture, aligning it with the principles of constructive diplomacy and shared development. Japan's current positioning may be construed as unintended legitimization, an outcome shaped less by deliberate endorsement than by procedural entanglement. Morocco's diplomatic momentum offers a compelling alternative. Through initiatives like the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the Atlantic Initiative for landlocked Sahel countries, Rabat is actively reshaping Africa's development architecture, grounded in connectivity, pragmatism, and regional solidarity. These projects are not mere infrastructure; they are strategic lifelines, linking energy, trade, and opportunity across borders. Morocco's absence from recent TICAD sessions was met with regret by several African nations, underscoring its central role in the continent's future. For TICAD to sustain its undisputed relevance, Japan may benefit from a quiet recalibration, one that aligns more closely with current developments surrounding the Moroccan Sahara issue. This would involve gently distancing itself from patterns imposed by outdated alignments and geopolitical reflexes, shaped by Cold War legacies sustainably promoted by Algeria. Such a shift would not signal rupture, but renewal: an opportunity to reaffirm Japan's commitment to partnership, pragmatism, and regional resonance. In this light, Morocco's vision offers a promising horizon. Grounded in cooperative pragmatism and continental integration, Rabat's initiatives invite a shared path where Japan and Morocco could work hand in hand to support Africa's development architecture with joint clarity, mutual respect, and strategic coherence. Japan's approach is not loud or transactional. It is layered, principled, and deeply cultural. Through tatemae , it offers respectful partnership; through wa , it builds inclusive platforms; and through honne , it quietly pursues strategic interests. This triad reveals a diplomacy that performs with intentional subtlety where meaning is often found not in declarations, but in the choreography of engagement. And those subtleties, rooted in Japan's cultural grammar, are not merely academic. They are essential for those entrusted with stewarding Japan–Africa relations. To misread them is to risk compromising the very architecture that differentiates TICAD within the global development landscape. The TICAD process invites us to rethink development not as a formula, but as a dialogue where meaning lies in a way outcomes are genuinely pursued by those entrusted to achieve them. Its strength lies in pioneering clarity. And clarity, in diplomacy, is not the absence of complexity, but the ability to navigate it with lucidity, dedication, and insight. Tags: JapanPolisariopoliticsTICAD
