Latest news with #AtlanticInitiative
Ya Biladi
3 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Macron applauds King Mohammed VI's leadership in Africa's blue economy at ocean summit
French President Emmanuel Macron praised King Mohammed VI's «strong» and «clear» commitment to developing a blue economy in Africa during the opening of the «Africa for the Ocean» summit in Nice, which he co-chaired with Princess Lalla Hasnaa, representing the Moroccan monarch. Macron thanked Morocco for organizing the summit and for involving France in «this initiative focused on issues that are vital for the African continent — and for all of us». He highlighted Morocco's leadership in Africa, driven by the King, noting that the Kingdom's «ongoing efforts in ocean governance, the fight against plastic pollution, and the promotion of regional cooperation serve as a benchmark on the continent». The French president also praised the content of the message sent by King Mohammed VI to the summit's participants, which was read by Princess Lalla Hasnaa. The King's words, Macron said, were «both strong and clear regarding the strategy to pursue, a vision we fully share». He emphasized «His Majesty's Atlantic Initiative, aimed at giving landlocked African countries access to the ocean», as a reflection of that vision. Macron also recalled that 20 years ago, King Mohammed VI launched the Tangier Med project, «which is now the largest port in the Mediterranean». He added that the construction of the Dakhla port, set to begin next year, «will mark a new chapter for the Atlantic Ocean and the ambition to connect the entire African continent to its potential and openness». The «Africa for the Ocean» summit, organized as part of the lead-up to the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference in 2025, provided a platform to discuss how Africa can harness its ocean resources for development while ensuring sustainable governance of marine spaces. Key topics included mobilizing funding for modern and resilient infrastructure, strengthening ocean governance and fisheries management, and improving connectivity between maritime and landlocked countries.
Morocco World
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Niger Honors Outgoing Moroccan Ambassador as Rabat Deepens Sahel Ties
Doha – In a ceremony radiating diplomatic gravity, Niger's authorities bestowed upon Morocco's Ambassador Allal Al Achab the rank of Commander of the National Order of Merit on Wednesday in Niamey. The distinction caps over eight years of diplomatic service that substantially fortified bilateral relations between the two nations. The ceremony, presided over by Niger's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, drew government representatives, accredited diplomats, and international partners. Minister Sangaré pointed to Al Achab's dedication to South-South cooperation built on loyalty, concrete solidarity, and mutual respect. The Nigerien foreign minister specifically underscored Morocco's support during the acute energy crisis that followed the July 26, 2023 coup d'état. 'The provision of power generators by the Kingdom, as well as the training of Nigerien technicians, constitutes a decisive gesture of solidarity at a time when the country was facing unprecedented isolation,' Sangaré remarked, noting King Mohammed VI's personal intervention in this emergency response. Earlier that day, the Moroccan diplomat met with Niger's President, General Abdourahamane Tiani, formally concluding what Nigerien authorities consider an exemplary diplomatic mission. The Moroccan ambassador conveyed his 'sincere emotion' and 'deep attachment to Niger and its people' in his farewell speech. He lauded the quality of bilateral dialogue while reaffirming Morocco's resolve to strengthen its ties with the Sahel region in a spirit of lasting partnership. Visibly moved, Al Achab expressed profound gratitude to the Nigerien people and authorities, stating that he takes away 'an unforgettable professional experience' from this mission. His departure makes way for Mohammed Iboumraten, 61, appointed by King Mohammed VI as the new Moroccan ambassador to Niger. Sahel tilts toward Moroccan vision This recognition from Niamey unfolds amid a rapid transformation of the Sahel's geopolitical landscape. Earlier this week, King Mohammed VI welcomed in Rabat the foreign ministers of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), which includes Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, in a diplomatic sequence charged with strategic intent. On April 28, the foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger presented the progress of the Alliance of Sahel States during their visit to Rabat. They unanimously declared their 'total adherence' to the Moroccan sovereign's Atlantic Initiative and their 'commitment to accelerate its implementation.' The Atlantic Initiative, first unveiled by King Mohammed VI on November 6, 2023, aims to provide landlocked Sahelian countries with maritime access to the Atlantic Ocean through Moroccan territory. The project envisions leveraging Morocco's modern infrastructure and strategic ports such as Tanger Med and Dakhla, a deep-water port under construction in Western Sahara, to create sustainable trade corridors for these encircled nations currently facing economic isolation after their withdrawal from ECOWAS. Speaking to Moroccan media outlets, Burkina Faso's minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré asserted he was struck by 'the King's love for Africa and Africans, his perfect knowledge of our countries and the sub-region, and his great availability to co-construct new relationships with his African brothers.' The high distinction awarded to Ambassador Al Achab reflects Niger's recognition of a diplomat whose actions have durably strengthened relations between Rabat and Niamey. This diplomatic pivot crystallizes as Algeria, historically regarded as the natural interlocutor of the Sahel for decades, steadily loses influence. Where Algiers once exerted authority through mechanisms like the Joint Operational Military Staff Committee (Cemoc) or mediation in the 2015 Algiers Peace Agreement, Morocco has redrawn regional alignments through proximity diplomacy championed at the highest level by Mohammed VI. In early April, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso recalled their ambassadors to Algiers, accusing Algeria of downing a Malian army drone in northern Mali near the Algerian border in late March. A high-ranking Moroccan diplomatic source clarified the country's approach to reporters: 'This is not a classic influence game. Morocco positions itself as a facilitator and mediator, in a logic of bloc alliances, not domination.' This formula stands in stark contrast to the muscular approaches of certain traditional Sahel partners, whether France previously or Russia currently. Morocco advances with strategic caution, recognizing the region's persistent instability and the fragility of transitional Sahelian regimes. Aware of these volatile dynamics, Moroccan diplomacy maintains distance from military entanglements and refuses alignment with external powers, whether Russian, Turkish, or Western. As a palace advisor, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the press: 'The king does not want to be a giver of orders, but a giver of solutions.' Read also: Memory as Strategy: Reclaiming Explorer Estevanico de Dorantes in Morocco's Royal Atlantic Initiative Tags: Morocco Niger RelationsMorocco SahelSahel Alliance
Morocco World
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
The Farce in Algiers: Tebboune's Desperate Embrace of Polisario Chief
Doha – In a pitiful spectacle of diplomatic irrelevance, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received the so-called 'leader' of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, at the presidential palace in Algiers on Wednesday. This frivolous meeting, a tired ritual in Algeria's obsessive anti-Morocco campaign, comes as international support for Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces reaches unprecedented heights and Algeria's isolation deepens to alarming levels. Algeria, which hypocritically claims it is not party to the dispute, continues to arm the Polisario Front, as happened recently when the Algerian regime supplied four Fajr-54 combat drones, according to political analyst Oualid Kebir. A meeting of phantoms: The April embarrassment The theatrical reception, held without the customary presence of Algeria's military strongman General Said Chengriha, was billed as discussing 'relations between their two countries' – a delusional characterization that defies geopolitical reality. What 'country' does Ghali represent? A fictitious entity that exists nowhere but in Algerian fantasies and dusty Cold War archives. This performance of diplomatic make-believe occurred against the damning backdrop of recent United Nations scrutiny. Just days before in New York, UN officials summoned Polisario representatives to explain their attacks on MINURSO patrols and deliberate obstruction of UN logistics convoys east of the Sand Wall. The timing reveals the desperate nature of Algeria's maneuver – a transparent attempt to salvage what remains of their crumbling anti-Morocco narrative. Tellingly, this charade was staged precisely when Morocco demonstrated its genuine regional leadership. While King Mohammed VI hosted a substantive meeting with foreign ministers from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in Rabat earlier this week, Tebboune was reduced to welcoming a figurehead who physically resides within Algeria itself. The juxtaposition lays bare an undeniable gulf. The Sahel chooses Morocco while Algeria flounders The regional dynamics have shifted seismically against Algeria's interests. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger – once diplomatic partners of Algeria – have demonstratively pivoted toward Morocco. Their ministers expressed profound 'appreciation for the King's continuous interest in their region's issues' and enthusiastically endorsed the visionary Atlantic Initiative that will provide these landlocked countries with coveted access to the Atlantic Ocean via Moroccan infrastructure. This diplomatic realignment reached a critical juncture for Algeria in early April when these three Sahel states abruptly recalled their ambassadors from Algiers following the Algerian forces' downing of a Malian drone near their shared border. The humiliating rebuke has left Algeria scrambling for relevance in a region it once considered its exclusive sphere of influence. Meanwhile, Morocco's Royal Atlantic Initiative continues gaining unstoppable momentum. The ambitious infrastructure project, officially announced by King Mohammed VI on November 6, 2023, will create a transformative economic corridor linking the new Dakhla Atlantique port complex to the Sahel via Mauritania. Unlike Algeria's empty rhetoric, Morocco delivers tangible development that addresses the Sahel's pressing economic needs. From recognition to designation: Polisario's terminal decline As Algeria clings to its separatist proxy, influential voices in Washington are intensifying calls to designate the Polisario as a terrorist organization. Republican Congressman John Wilson, a member of the Congressional Foreign Relations Committee, recently reaffirmed America's 'unwavering commitment' to Morocco's territorial integrity while emphasizing the Polisario's troubling connections to terrorist networks and Iran's subversive agenda in North Africa. The evidence against the Polisario grows more incriminating by the day. American political actors increasingly recognize the Algeria-backed militia's 'suspicious ties with takfiri and jihadist groups in the Sahel' and coordination with Hezbollah and Iranian proxies – placing it in direct violation of international counter-terrorism frameworks. A comprehensive analysis by the Hudson Institute published on April 18, authored by Zineb Riboua, has shattered the Polisario's self-portrayal as a liberation movement, instead exposing it as 'a destabilizing militia' deeply involved in arms smuggling, youth indoctrination, and 'aligning itself with the strategic agendas of Iran, Russia, and China.' The report meticulously documented how the Polisario conclusively meets all statutory criteria for designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under US law, revealing that it 'receives drones from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps through transfers facilitated by the Algerian regime' and 'smuggles arms to jihadist insurgencies that threaten American forces across the Sahel.' In his scathing analysis published by the Middle East Forum on April 7, Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute challenged the separatist group's legitimacy, asserting that 'no one has ever elected them to such a position and no one has given the Sahrawi any say.' This potential designation would utterly transform the Sahara conflict's dynamics, forcing traditional Polisario enablers like Algeria and South Africa into the uncomfortable position of actively supporting a designated terrorist entity. The diplomatic fallout would be catastrophic for Algeria's already tattered international standing. The human toll: Algeria's brutal treatment of Sahrawis Perhaps most concerning is the deteriorating situation within the Tindouf camps themselves. According to the Sahrawi Association for the Defence of Human Rights (ASADEDH), Algerian army forces recently committed a cold-blooded 'horrific massacre' against Sahrawi civilians in the 'Arkoub' district of the Dakhla camp, killing two and wounding nine others, three critically. The Algerian military 'fired indiscriminately on unarmed Sahrawi civilians' approximately 150 kilometers from Rabouni, triggering widespread protests throughout the camps. Remarkably, the Polisario leadership maintained 'suspicious silence' regarding these atrocities, further eroding what little credibility it retained among the camp population. Ramadan Massoud Larbi, President of ASADEDH, described the Arkoub massacre as 'a serious slide in the series of violations against Sahrawi civilians' and noted that Polisario's failure to protect camp residents 'undermines the remaining confidence of Sahrawis in those who claim to represent their only legitimate representative.' Most telling of all, Larbi confirmed that 'escalation of calls to return to Morocco reflects the deep shift in the convictions of a large group of Sahrawis, who now consider joining the motherland as the only way to end their suffering.' In response, the Sahrawi Movement for Peace (MSP) issued an urgent letter to the United Nations and MINURSO, in which they excoriated Algeria's 'flagrant violations of the most fundamental human rights' and demanded immediate intervention to protect civilian refugees 'held hostage' on Algerian territory. Raw video footage captured enraged protesters confronting Algerian soldiers, with desperate refugees threatening to escape to Morocco while screaming, 'Do you want us to go to Morocco? You're killing our children here in cold blood.' The MSP vehemently demands inclusion in the UN-led political process on Western Sahara, declaring itself the true voice for 'an important part of the Sahrawi population that aspires to a negotiated political solution, away from the violent methods of the Polisario Front.' The final gasp of a failed strategy As Morocco continues securing international recognition for its sovereignty over the Sahara, Algeria's desperate reception of Ghali resembles nothing so much as a drowning regime clutching at political straws. Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita's recent diplomatic blitzkrieg has cemented the kingdom's dominance in the territorial dispute. His whirlwind mid-April tour across the United States, France, Spain, Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Estonia, and Slovenia yielded an avalanche of explicit endorsements for Morocco's autonomy plan as 'the only realistic solution' to the regional dispute. This relentless momentum has now secured backing from over 100 UN member states, including two permanent Security Council members (the United States and France), Spain (the former colonial power), and a staggering 23 European Union countries. As UN envoy de Mistura himself stated in April, the autonomy plan 'remains the only viable path to a lasting and politically feasible resolution of the decades-running conflict.' This dramatic shift comes just six months after he had proposed partitioning the territory – a proposal now completely abandoned in favor of Morocco's position. The absurdity reaches tragicomic proportions when one considers that this 'state reception' hosted someone who permanently resides in Algeria itself, under the direct supervision of Algerian security services. As one Algerian political analyst mockingly noted, 'The 'president of the Tindouf republic' who declared war spends most of his time in his residence in the Algerian capital.' While Morocco forges ahead with its development agenda for the Sahara — evidenced by the partnership between France's Occitanie Region and Morocco's Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab region and the construction of the massive Dakhla Atlantique port complex — Algeria remains imprisoned in a self-defeating paradigm of antagonism and obstruction. The international community has rendered its verdict. Morocco's proposal for autonomy under sovereignty has emerged as the only viable path forward. Algeria's continued embrace of a phantom state leader merely underscores how thoroughly it has lost this decades-long contest. The question is no longer if, but when Algeria will finally acknowledge the geopolitical reality that the rest of the world has already recognized. Read also: Tunisia Hosts Polisario in Fresh Affront to Morocco's Sovereignty Tags: Algerian President Abdelmadjid TebbouneBrahim GhaliPolisario Front
Morocco World
19-03-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco and Cameroon Strengthen Military Cooperation with New Agreement
Rabat – Morocco and Cameroon have signed a military cooperation agreement to boost defense ties through training, joint exercises, military health services, and technical assistance. The agreement was formalized in Rabat on Tuesday during a meeting between Morocco's minister delegate for National Defense, Abdeltif Loudyi, and his Cameroonian counterpart , Joseph Beti Assomo, who led a high-level delegation. According to a statement from Morocco's National Defense Administration, the pact reflects the two nations' commitment to bolstering security collaboration. Loudyi reaffirmed Morocco's dedication to regional security and stability, recalling the Atlantic Initiative launched by King Mohammed VI to establish Africa's Atlantic coast as a key economic and security hub. Assomo, in turn, asserted that Cameroon regards its partnership with Morocco as priority and commends Rabat's South-South cooperation initiatives led by King Mohammed VI. Both countries also expressed their commitment to implement the agreement and strengthen bilateral relations, marking a new chapter in their defense partnership. Morocco and Cameroon forged diplomatic ties in 1965 amid a broader movement of African nations enhancing bilateral partnerships after gaining independence. In 2022, Morocco emerged as Cameroon's leading African supplier, providing 319,200 tons of goods worth 70.5 billion CFA francs. This represents 1.4% of Cameroon's total imports from African countries.
Morocco World
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Western Sahara: Saudi Arabia Reaffirms Support for Morocco's Territorial Integrity
Rabat – Saudi Arabia has reiterated its strong support for Morocco's territorial integrity and its sovereignty over Western Sahara. It declared that Morocco's autonomy plan remains the only viable solution to end the ongoing regional dispute. Saudi Arabia made the statement today during the 14th session of the joint Moroccan-Saudi committee held in Mecca. During the session, the Gulf country expressed its unwavering support for Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara and its continued backing for the autonomy initiative as the sole basis for resolving the conflict, all while respecting Morocco's territorial integrity and national unity. The Saudi government stressed that any resolution to this regional dispute must be achieved under Morocco's sovereignty. In addition, Saudi Arabia commended major initiatives King Mohammed VI has launched for the benefit of Africa. These include the Atlantic Initiative for Sahel countries, which aims to help the landlocked Sahel countries in West Africa access the Atlantic Ocean. Saudi Arabia also mentioned the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, a major initiative aimed at transporting natural gas from Nigeria to Morocco and other countries in Africa and Europe. Announced in 2016, the project involves the construction of a pipeline that will stretch over 5,600 kilometers. The project aims to improve energy access, promote economic development, and enhance regional integration. Saudi Arabia acknowledged King Mohammed VI's leadership role in promoting sustainable development across Africa and strengthening peace, security, and stability on the continent. Also during the session, the country recalled the monarch's commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause and preserving Al Quds's cultural identity and maintaining its status as a symbol of tolerance and coexistence among the Abrahamic faiths. Tags: Saudi arabia MoroccoWestern sahara
