Morocco has made South-South cooperation a strategic lever of its foreign policy, in line with the enlightened Vision of HM King Mohammed VI, the House of Councillors Speaker, Enaam Mayara, said Thursday in Rabat.
This approach has been enshrined among the Kingdom’s diplomatic constants, stressed Mayara at the opening of the Parliamentary Conference on South-South Cooperation, noting that Morocco’s commitment to this cooperation is part of a strategic and comprehensive Royal Vision.
This Royal approach is based on capacity building in the fields of human development, peace, security, stability and regional economic integration, in a spirit of win-win and solidarity, he added.
“The South-South cooperation to which Morocco aspires is not just a slogan, but a necessity imposed by the multiple and complex challenges faced by countries around the world,” said Mayara, recalling that the Sovereign has constantly stressed the importance of cooperation between countries of the South in His speeches to various international and regional bodies.
The Upper House Speaker explained that the Kingdom has developed an innovative model of South-South cooperation with African countries, based on the sharing of experience, skills and expertise, recalling the Royal visits to some thirty African countries with the aim of raising this cooperation to the level of an active and mutually supportive strategic partnership.
These Royal visits, he said, have enabled the implementation of major strategic projects, such as the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline and fertilizer production units to contribute to the continent’s food security, in addition to the signing of over 1,000 agreements with African countries in various fields.
Referring to the Atlantic Initiative launched by HM King Mohammed VI to give the Sahel states access to the Atlantic Ocean, Mayara said that, through this major project, the Kingdom is proposing an innovative, modern model of integration and cooperation between African countries, focused on common challenges and goals, which is not limited to the economic sphere alone, but also encompasses other areas, including politics, security, social and sustainable development, and cultural exchange, through a global, multidimensional approach.
This new Atlantic dynamic will bring Africa and Latin America closer together, he said, pointing out that the South Atlantic is the link between these two regions, as well as being a strategic area for political, cultural and commercial exchanges between the two continents.
At the Arab level, the Kingdom has consistently called for greater efforts to consolidate Arab cooperation and economic integration in order to meet the various challenges, noted Mayara.
He also stressed that the Kingdom has always sought to develop good relations with Latin America, emphasizing Morocco’s close ties with the countries of this region, notably through its membership, as an observer, of several Latin American regional groupings.
The House of Councillors Speaker also emphasized the role of parliamentary diplomacy in consolidating the foundations of the strategic partnership between the countries of the South.
This conference provides an opportunity to explore opportunities for joint development and to promote cultural links between Africa, the Arab world and Latin America, as well as to examine the roles of non-governmental players in promoting cooperation between these regions, he added.
Mayara said that the meeting aims to contribute to the strengthening of parallel diplomacy and a partnership guaranteeing security, stability and dignity for the peoples of the South.
Held under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, the two-day conference focuses on the “Role of National Parliaments and Regional and Continental Parliamentary Unions in Africa, the Arab World, and Latin America in Enhancing Strategic Partnerships and Achieving Joint Integration and Development”.
This meeting, held at the initiative of the House of Councillors in collaboration with the Association of Senates, Shoora, and Equivalent Councils in Africa and Arab world (ASSECAA), is part of the Kingdom of Morocco’s leadership, under the enlightened guidance of HM King Mohammed VI, in launching all development and solidarity initiatives aimed at strengthening South-South cooperation.