African Parliamentarians highlighted, in Rabat, the strategic and multidimensional vocation of King Mohammed VI’s Initiative to facilitate Sahel countries’ access to the Atlantic Ocean.
Speaking at the meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of Atlantic African States, held at the House of Representatives under the theme “Promoting a Parliamentary Network for a Stable, Integrated, and Prosperous Atlantic Africa,” speakers and representatives of African parliaments welcomed this initiative, which aligns with the Atlantic African States Process (AASP) launched in 2022 under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.
They also called for its expansion to include more countries across the continent.
In this context, the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, commended Morocco’s central and highly valued role in promoting the interests of African countries, urging stakeholders to seize this opportunity to create an environment conducive to economic growth.
He emphasized the need to foster public-private partnerships to boost infrastructure development, facilitate cross-border trade, reduce bureaucratic barriers hindering investment processes, and improve maritime networks.
African countries must adopt strategic legislative measures to help nations in the region harness their natural resources and strengthen regional value chains, he added.
Abbas also underscored the significance of Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project as a cornerstone of energy access and regional integration in West Africa, highlighting its role as a driver of progress and stability across the continent.
For his part, the Speaker of Senegal’s National Assembly, El Malick Ndiaye, emphasized that his country’s participation in this meeting reflects its commitment to strengthening “our nation’s integration into this strategic Atlantic space, which serves as a vital gateway for Africa’s economic development and stability.”
Senegal welcomes this forward-looking initiative and its key role in the Atlantic African States Process, in a spirit of partnership, he said, noting that Morocco is a strategic partner of Senegal, particularly in the fields of infrastructure, energy, and industry.
The Speaker of Mauritania’s National Assembly, Mohamed Bamba Meguett, also stressed the importance of pooling African states’ efforts to promote security, peace, and cooperation within the Atlantic space, noting that parliamentary diplomacy should foster partnerships with international organizations to support efforts in security and development.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Congo’s National Assembly, Isidore Mvouba, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to “contributing to the realization of the Royal Initiative for the Sahel,” calling for streghtening energies, efforts, and African expertise to address current challenges.
During the meeting, several Speakers and representatives of parliaments from Atlantic African states emphasized the importance of the AASP in light of the multiple initiatives undertaken by Morocco under the leadership of the King in support of African countries.
They also commended Morocco’s efforts, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, to promote South-South cooperation, stability, and integration among countries in the region.
The meeting of Speakers of the Parliaments of the Atlantic African States highlighted by the adoption of the Rabat Declaration that welcomed the Royal Initiative to make the Atlantic seaboard a human space of economic integration, social prosperity and attractiveness for international investment, which complements the King’s initiative to give the Sahel States access to the Atlantic Ocean.
The participants paid tribute to the nobility of the process, which underpins historical and geopolitical challenges through the valorization of the potential of the 23 African countries along the Atlantic Ocean coastline, considering the AASP as an extremely promising initiative that constitutes a lever for the consolidation and reinforcement of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and one of its main gateways to the world.
The Declaration “For the transformation of the African Atlantic seaboard into a space of integration, prosperity, attractiveness and connection with the world,” recalls that this Process presents all the opportunities and levers for success, particularly in view of the strategic importance of the Atlantic Ocean for Africa, as well as its wealth, geographical position and capacity to attract global investment to implement major projects and infrastructure, in addition to the stability and security in terms of movement of goods and people that characterizes the Atlantic coast.