Xinhuanet
Source: Xinhua
Moroccan Foreign Minister Naser Bourita discussed Wednesday with secretary-general of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), Ibrahim Sani Abani, the security threats in the Sahel region.
The two sides highlighted the alarming rise of terrorism and organized international crime in the region.
Following these talks, Abani told the press there is an urgent need for closer cooperation between the countries in the region to tackle these threats.
He also called for promoting economic cooperation to improve the lives of the people in the region, especially the youth, to keep them away from radicalization.
Morocco is a key partner that supports the Sahel-Saharan States in their individual and collective development efforts, he pointed out.
CEN-SAD is a regional organization which aims to establish a comprehensive Economic Union based on a strategy implemented in accordance with a developmental plan that would be integrated in the national development plans of the member states.
The member States of CEN-SAD are Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, the Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo and Tunisia.