Morocco has become, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, a key player in preserving regional stability and balance, said Francisco Almeida Leite, president of the Portuguese think tank “Club d’Africa”.
In an interview with MAP, the former Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation highlighted Morocco’s role and impact in the fight against illegal immigration and terrorism, noting that the Kingdom , a regional power and strategic partner of the European Union, occupies a leading geostrategic position, not only on the African scale, but also as the main axis of relations with Europe.
Morocco, under the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, has multiplied strategic partnerships with several countries in sub-Saharan Africa, in addition to its main role in preserving peace and security in the region, he said. – he underlined, citing in this regard Morocco’s participation in peacekeeping missions in African countries, without forgetting the investments that the Kingdom deploys, the aid that it provides and the initiatives that it leads at the scale from the continent. Which, according to the analyst, clearly reflects Morocco’s influence on a regional scale.
“This cooperation is all the more important as it is not limited to economic and financial aspects, but also covers political and security issues, as evidenced by the mediations carried out by the Kingdom to resolve several ongoing conflicts”, said he said, noting that cooperation between Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa is deployed both bilaterally and multilaterally.
Morocco’s presence on the African continent has been confirmed through several major projects, such as the future gas pipeline between Morocco and Nigeria, which will have to cross a dozen African countries, noted Mr. Almeida Leite.
Furthermore, he stressed that HM King Mohammed VI is “a reforming King par excellence”, reviewing in particular the constitutional and judicial reforms launched by the Sovereign and which have enabled Morocco “to occupy a place of choice on the regionally and internationally and to enjoy the respect and esteem of its partners and allies”.
Mr. Almeida Leite, also a partner member of the organization Africa Monitor, also emphasized the profound changes that marked the education and health sectors under the reign of HM King Mohammed VI, as well as the dynamism experienced by Morocco in the technological and financial fields.
“Morocco has gone from being a country based on agriculture and tourism, sectors that still retain their importance, to a dynamic country technologically and environmentally and mobilizing large investments in national and international projects,” said he noted.
Addressing Luso-Moroccan relations, the President of Club d’Africa recalled that bilateral relations have always been excellent under all successive governments.
“If the year 2023 recorded a strong dynamic of bilateral cooperation, driven by the political will to set up a strategic partnership, this is only the crowning of work carried out for many years, with the participation of all successive governments and many actors,” he said.
He also expressed the wish to see the agreements signed and the strategic partnership between Morocco and Portugal materialize in practice as soon as possible, in order to further deepen bilateral relations. Mr. Almeida Leite also pleaded for the enlargement of the partnership between Rabat and Lisbon, so that it encompasses other essential areas, in particular security, the fight against fires and illegal immigration, as well as the sustainable economic development.
By Khadija Tahiri (MAP)
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