At a time when Rabat intensifies its diplomatic ties with the Sahel region, the decoration of the Moroccan ambassador Allal Al Ahab by the Nigerian authorities takes a particular resonance. Raised to the rank of commander of the National Order of Merit, Wednesday April 30 in Niamey, the Moroccan diplomat was praised for his decisive role in the strengthening of a bilateral partnership that the two capital present as exemplary.
The ceremony, chaired by the Nigerian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, was held in the presence of government representatives, accredited diplomats and international partners. The head of Nigerian diplomacy emphasized, insistently, Mr. Al Ahab’s commitment to South-South cooperation based on loyalty, concrete solidarity and mutual respect. A commitment which has notably distinguished itself in the active support of Morocco during the acute energy crisis crossed by Niger following the coup d’etat of July 26, 2023.
“The provision of generators by the kingdom, as well as the formation of Nigerian technicians, constitute a gesture of decisive solidarity, at a time when the country faced unprecedented isolation,” recalled Mr. Sangaré, evoking the personal impetus of King Mohammed VI in this emergency response.
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In office for more than eight years, Allal Al Ahab leaves Niamey with a diplomatic assessment that the Nigerian authorities qualify as exceptional. In his speech, the diplomat expressed his “sincere emotion” and a “deep attachment to Niger and his people”. He also praised the quality of bilateral dialogue, while reaffirming Morocco’s will to consolidate his links with the Sahel in a spirit of sustainable partnership.
This Nigerien recognition intervenes in a context marked by an accelerated recomposition of regional alliances. The day before, the Moroccan sovereign received in Rabat the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Confederation of the States of the Sahel (AES), including Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, in a diplomatic sequence with a strong symbolic load. While these countries are engaged in a gradual break with the established West African order-and display an increasing desire to diversify their partnerships-Rabat appears as an increasingly central actor in the Sahelian game.
The distinction given to the Moroccan ambassador thus exceeds the simple protocol tribute. It is part of a strategic dynamic where Morocco, with its doctrine of South-South cooperation, seeks to build new alliances with the emerging powers of the Sahel. An assumed repositioning, at a time when the Sahara and West Africa are more imposed than ever as major diplomatic fronts for the Kingdom.
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