20-02-2025
FM Bourita on Africa Development: We Focus on Opportunities, Not Problems
Rabat – Morocco is reiterating the importance of boosting Africa's development to ensure the continent is ready to address its challenges.
Today, Morocco's House of Representatives opened its doors to the second forum of the presidents of Foreign Affairs Commissions of African Parliaments to discuss the continent's challenges.
The two-day event surrounds the theme: 'establishing sustainable foundations for stability and security in Africa.'
In a speech during the opening day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita recalled King Mohammed VI's vision, which prioritizes African development.
'What affects Africa affects Morocco,' Bourita said, noting that the country is mobilized to cooperate with African partners to boost human, diplomatic, and economic ties to serve the continent.
The continent, full of resources and unlocked opportunities, can fully assume its role as a driver of regional development, Bourita said, noting that the North African country explores opportunities rather than focuses solely on problems.
Morocco's goal is to see Africa develop itself to stimulate economic exchanges and alleviate the financial burden on several states through different measures, including the cancellation of African countries' debt and the removal of tariff barriers.
Bourita also advocated for the Adaptation of African Agriculture (AAA) initiative, which serves as a reference in terms of food security and climate change adaptation on the content.
He also advocated for further support of the Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline project, aimed at strengthening regional energy security and fostering economic integration across the continent.
Rachid Talbi Alami, the speaker of the House, also delivered an opening speech during today's session, noting the uncertainty in the international system as well as global factions – and that these challenges force African countries to take their destiny into their own hands to fulfill the continent's ambitions.
'Extremism and terrorism flourish in contexts of poverty, and secession threatens the disintegration of countries and expansion,' Alami said, emphasizing the importance of boosting Africa through partnerships.
He recalled the continent's resources, stating that Africa is expected to achieve a growth rate of 4.3% in 2025, up from 2.7% last year.
About 24 countries will experience growth rates exceeding 5% in Africa this year, he said, warning that this progress should not distract attention from the 'major challenges facing the content.'
He finally called for more measures to tackle other challenges like drought, desertification, soil erosion, and flooding, noting that similar conditions represent new challenges, including food shortages, and poverty, among other problems like migration and displacement.
This is not the first appeal from Morocco, Bourita pointed out, that calls for dialogue and strengthening bilateral ties to tackle challenges that Africa has been facing.
Last year, Bourita recalled the same sentiment during the first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi.
'We come to Sochi with a strong conviction: it's not Africa that needs the rest of the world. In fact, it's the rest of the world that increasingly needs Africa,' Bourita said in his speech.
