Eurasia Review
Said Temsamani
The Moroccan Ministry of Royal Protocol and Chancellery issued a communiquė stating that King Mohammed VI will start on Wednesday working and friendship visits to the Republic of Senegal, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the Republic of Gabon and will pay an official visit to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
“The Ministry of Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery announces that His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, will pay visits to several sister African countries, starting on Wednesday May 20, 2015,” the release said.
“During these visits, His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, will hold talks with the presidents of these sister countries and will chair signing ceremonies of bilateral agreements and the launch of cooperation projects related to human development, exchange of experience and reinforcement of economic partnership with these countries”, the source added.
Undoubtedly, Morocco is determined to promote openness and democracy and to bring about peace and security to the whole continent.
In recent years, Morocco is located in the economically developed countries where greater cooperation in the fields of banking, telecommunications, housing, commerce and industry. It also offers its expertise in infrastructure, public health, roads and education. It also gives a great interest in national education by offering fellowships to African students. Morocco is determined to establish real win-win partnerships with African countries, a new axis for peace and economic prosperity. Economic interests and geo-political considerations account for much of Moroccan royal’s diplomatic offensive.
King Mohammed VI’s visit, is part of the country’s initiatives to set up its new foreign policy in Africa. Morocco has always voiced openly its keen interest to establish a powerful partnership with African countries. With this new vision Morocco has become a leading continental power that will guarantee economic dynamism, security and stability in the African continent
Morocco is strengthening its political, economic and spiritual presence in Africa. This royal vision will certainly contribute efficiently to a stable and prosperous africa that will become more and more economically attractive to foreign investors.
Morocco’s political influence is growing and so is the trust of the states it is working with. The kingdom keeps defending African’s cause, either directly, thanks to its participation in different operations to maintain peace or either indirectly, supporting, in all of the international summits, sustained efforts for human and social development in the sub-Saharan area.
Morocco also relies on its spiritual diplomacy. King Mohammed VI in his capacity as Commander of the Faithful, agreed to official requests made by African countries to benefit from religious training and cooperation.
Morocco prioritizes South-South cooperation. The King took the initiative to cancel the debt of very poor African countries. This decision was only the beginning of a long-term economic strategy to get back to the suitable position it occupied in the African diplomatic landscape. To reinforce its economic leverage in the area, Morocco is settling human and social development projects.
The private sector participation is also a relevant asset of its policy. Several Moroccan public or private companies have established themselves in sub-Saharan Africa to invest in sectors that could foster some countries growth, such as banking sector, as Attijari wafabank is present in Senegal and Mali, finance sector with CDG and the group Chaabi in Ivory Coast, Mali, and Guinea, or even telecommunication sector thanks to Maroc Télécom that owns communication companies in Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso. The Moroccan main phosphate company OCP uses all of its knowledge and experience in agri-food industry to favour food security in the area. The exportation of its renewable energy model is also very important, as it is a decisive innovation that will influence positively on the countries suffering from frequent power and water cuts.
This new royal diplomatic strategy has opened new doors for the Moroccan-American and Moroccan-European partnership to fight terrorism but mostly to promote economic prosperity for many African countries. In each of these cases, Africa must lead and Morocco will help. And Morocco will make no apology for supporting African efforts to end conflict and stand up for human dignity.
Morocco has taken an engagement not just on security issues in sub-Saharan Africa , but on environmental issues — and economic issues and social issues, education issues. King Mohammed will certainly take that engagement to a whole new level.
