Morocco's Atlantic African leadership receives ministerial accolades

Foreign ministers gathered at the fifth ministerial meeting of the Atlantic African States Process (AASP) in Praia praised Morocco’s growing regional leadership role on Thursday. They commended the country’s efforts in advancing the initiative aimed at transforming the African Atlantic space into a zone of peace and prosperity.

Cape Verde’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Fiomeno de Carvalho Dias, emphasized Morocco’s crucial support. “The decisive role of the Process’s permanent secretariat based in Rabat has been essential to the progress of this initiative,” he stated to the MAP news agency.

Dias reaffirmed Cape Verde’s commitment to collaborate with all member states, aiming to create “an Atlantic region of peace, prosperity, and shared development.”

Gambia’s Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara acknowledged Morocco’s leadership while emphasizing that the initiative “belongs to all of us.” He attributed the vision to “the wisdom of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has always advocated for the Atlantic space to be one of solidarity, peace, and prosperity.”

São Tomé and Príncipe’s Foreign Minister Ilza Maria dos Santos Amado Vaz described the meeting as “very positive,” reiterating her country’s commitment to implement strategies based on political dialogue.

Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa praised the royal initiative as “a suitable platform for strengthening cooperation.” He called for enhanced security collaboration to address escalating threats in the Atlantic region, including criminal activities and piracy.

Mohamed Methqal, Director General of the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation, affirmed the meeting’s pivotal purpose. He stated that the gathering “serves to implement His Majesty the King’s initiative promoting peace, shared prosperity, and the vitality of the Atlantic coast.”

The meeting adopted its first implementation report since the initiative’s launch. Ministers formalized various recommendations and scheduled the next ministerial meeting for September, coinciding with the UN General Assembly.

Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita addressed participants by emphasizing that the partnership “is not just a strategic instrument, but also a political, economic, and human process.”

“Our duty is to make it a reality, a visible, tangible, and sustainable reality,” Bourita declared. He reaffirmed “the full determination of the Kingdom of Morocco to advance this dynamic, guarantee its continuity, and strengthen its scope.”

Bourita highlighted significant initiatives reflecting Morocco’s approach, including the Forum of Ministers of Justice in April 2024, the Presidents of Parliaments meeting in February 2025, and the Conference on Maritime Security and Counterterrorism in January 2025.

“For His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Atlantic Africa cannot be a periphery of the global world. It is a geostrategic heart, a dynamic interface between continents,” Bourita asserted.

The initiative aligns with Morocco’s plan to provide landlocked Sahel countries access to the Atlantic Ocean, centering on the Dakhla Atlantique complex in Western Sahara, expected to be completed by late 2028.

The first ministerial meeting of African Atlantic states took place in August 2010 in Rabat. After a 13-year hiatus, the initiative was reactivated in June 2022. King Mohammed VI’s speech on November 6, 2023, positioned the African Atlantic states at the heart of Morocco’s African policy.

Through this initiative, Morocco continues to fortify its position as an emerging African power dedicated to fostering an integrated continent.