Morocco Proposes Atlantic Gateway For Countries In The Sahel
Underscoring that his Kingdom is an Oasis of Stability and Peace in his speech to mark the 48th anniversary of the Green March, King Mohammed VI invited countries bound by common geographical interests to leverage Moroccan potential for their development.
The Green March first took place in November 1975 coordinated by the Moroccan Government to force Spain to hand over the Moroccan Sahara to the control of Rabat.
The King said it is possible to ameliorate the turbulence and travails in the Sahel region of Africa if that area is helped out by the coastal countries through the potential of the blue economy, thereby reducing over-reliance on the security option as a solution.
To this end, Morocco is determined to mobilize countries most relevant to the objective around the ‘Atlantic Gateway’ concept to grant the landlocked area in the Sahel full access and use of coastal resources of the Atlantic.
Leading by example, Morocco is to embark on a major rehabilitation of its coastline, including the part in the Moroccan Sahara region bordering the Atlantic.”
The King of Morocco said he is leading the way to transform the Atlantic region of some 23 countries into a space for human interaction and economic integration, ensuring that it plays a key role at all international levels.
The Moroccan proposal is designed to promote regional integration, boost joint economic growth, and serve the development objectives in the countries bordering the Atlantic. The Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline strategic project is part of that endeavor.
It is expected to be a reliable source of energy supplies to European countries.
”I am also calling for the adoption of a strategy for the promotion of tourism in the Atlantic region, making use of the many assets available there…..for beach and Saharan tourism,” the King emphasized.
