Morocco prioritizes African cooperation in its foreign policy

Under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, Morocco has firmly placed African cooperation at the core of its foreign policy and development strategy. Speaking in Istanbul at a high-level session on "Unleashing Africa’s Connectivity Potential" during the Global Forum on Transport Connectivity, Minister of Transport and Logistics Abdessamad Kayouh emphasized that Morocco believes Africa must take control of its own destiny by achieving true continental integration. This vision rests on strong infrastructure, shared political will, and a unified strategic approach.

Kayouh highlighted Morocco’s commitment to large-scale projects aimed at accelerating African integration and improving access for landlocked Sahel countries. One of the key projects, the Dakhla Atlantic Port, is part of the Atlantic Initiative launched by King Mohammed VI to connect Sahel nations with the Atlantic Ocean. This infrastructure is intended to enhance links between sub-Saharan Africa and the Atlantic space, fostering broader global connectivity.

He also referenced a message from the King, read by Princess Lalla Hasnaa at the "Africa for the Ocean" summit in Nice, which outlined a new maritime vision for the continent. This vision promotes blue growth as a pillar of sustainable development, encourages South-South cooperation, and supports regional integration based on maritime spaces and Atlantic synergy.

Morocco’s integrated approach also involves developing a national commercial fleet, not only to boost transport capacity but to establish a broader maritime ecosystem through joint investments and regular intra-African shipping links.

Kayouh acknowledged the challenges Africa still faces, including poor infrastructure, regulatory gaps, lack of coordination, and financial constraints. He stressed the need for full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the creation of multimodal transport corridors, the harmonization of standards, and the strengthening of funding mechanisms to support transnational logistics projects.

To this end, Morocco is developing a high-performance regional logistics platform supported by key infrastructure such as Tanger Med, Nador West Med, and Dakhla Atlantic. These hubs position Morocco as a gateway between Africa and the rest of the world.

This approach aligns with Morocco’s national energy transition strategy, which seeks to play a leading role in producing and distributing green hydrogen. According to Kayouh, Morocco’s advanced ports will be able to supply clean fuel to ships, support maritime decarbonization, and increase the attractiveness of Moroccan ports as green logistics platforms at regional and continental levels.

He emphasized that such infrastructure can only fulfill its potential through a broader continental convergence. This requires investment in African human capital, strengthening regional value chains, and encouraging innovation in logistics.

Finally, Kayouh reaffirmed Morocco’s strong commitment to supporting all African efforts to enhance continental connectivity, especially in the Atlantic space, viewing it as a key driver for building a sovereign, united, and prosperous Africa.

The high-level session featured transport ministers from Mauritania and Congo, along with the head of Djibouti’s Ports Authority. Morocco participated in the forum, held from June 27 to 29 in Istanbul, with a senior delegation led by Kayouh, which included Morocco’s ambassador to Türkiye, Mohamed Ali Lazrak, as well as several directors and officials from the transport and road safety sectors.