In the midst of rapid transformations in the Sahelo-Saharan region and while traditional French influence declines, Morocco emerges as a pivot actor who is not content to follow events, but also participates in the development of the characteristics of the new regional order, according to a visionary royal vision and turned towards the future.
The Maghreb and Africa region is experiencing deep dynamics that redraw regional and international balances. In this context, Morocco continues to activate active and intelligent diplomacy, led by King Mohammed VI, based on a vision of cross -border development which values regional cooperation and considers security and stability as key factors of sustainable development.
The meeting between the King and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger confirms the proactive dimension of the Moroccan initiative, at a time when the region is faced with repeated attempts to form alternative blocks, like the Algiers summit which brought together Tunisia and Libya. This royal meeting does not constitute a simple diplomatic response, but the expression of a strategic action which relies on the construction of rational and promising alliances of the future.
The solid relations of Morocco with the European powers, in particular France and Spain, reinforce this trend, because these countries support in a clearer and more coherent manner the initiative of autonomy in the Sahara. On the other hand, Algerian diplomacy seems to be stuck between a northern Europe which supports Moroccan vision and a South Africa increasingly open to the development approach proposed by Morocco.
In this geostrategic movement, new issues are formed following the void left by the disengagement of France of its traditional areas of influence, while international powers such as Russia, China and Turkey are trying to fill this void by developing their relations with the African continent and by organizing with it summits of strategic partnership.
In this context, Morocco presents itself as a rising regional figure which does not seek to dominate or impose its influence, but rather to support South-South cooperation, which has been the backbone of the Kingdom’s African policy in the past two decades.
Today, the Atlantic coast is of increasing strategic importance. The southern provinces have indeed become the gateway to Morocco on the African continent and its window on the Atlantic, as well as a new pillar of geographic and economic connectivity with Europe and the Americas.
The Atlantic initiative, announced by King Mohammed VI, aims to give the Sahel countries access to the Atlantic Ocean by connecting their infrastructures to the advanced port, road and rail networks of Morocco. This initiative is not limited to economic considerations; It is part of an integrated geostrategic project which makes it possible to break the isolation, to promote regional integration and to consolidate South-South solidarity.
This initiative confirms the depth and clairvoyance of the royal perspective and reflects the dynamism and the effectiveness of Moroccan diplomacy under the leadership of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Cooperation, Nasser Bourita, who succeeded in making the royal initiatives known in international forums, in particular with regard to the proposal for autonomy in the context of a political process which enjoys growing support.
The Dakhla Atlantic Port project is one of the main pillars of this initiative, in the same way as the motorway network, logistics platforms and electrical interconnection projects, which strengthen the position of Morocco as an economic locomotive in the Sahel and West Africa.
Morocco’s dynamism is not confined to diplomatic aspects, but extends to the security and economic levels, where it stands out as a major contributor to the efforts to combat terrorism within the framework of the international strategy led by the United States. This new positioning confirms the effectiveness of the Moroccan approach which combines political wisdom and economic efficiency.
The era of Moroccan voluntarism ends, the era of Moroccan voluntarism opens
The Atlantic initiative is a new episode of a series of strategic initiatives that strengthen the presence of Morocco in Africa and reflect a royal vision that foreign policy must be put at the service of development and geography can be transformed into an integration space rather than conflict.
Geopolitical issues are not confronted with slogans or cyclical positions, but with a long -term strategic vision, as does Morocco today. When politics becomes a lever for development, we have a country commensurate with the vision of its king.
*University researcher.
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