Niger is a member of the Atlantic Initiative created by the Kingdom of Morocco. On the sidelines of the meeting of the Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers in preparation for the 15th session of the Islamic Conference at the OIC Summit scheduled for 4 and 5 May, Nasser Bourita held talks with his counterpart from Niger, Bakary Yaou Sangare, on Thursday in Banjul.
The official Moroccan diplomatic account did not provide details of the issues discussed at the meeting.
Niger, along with Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad, is a member of the Atlantic Initiative launched by the King of Morocco in November 2023.
This initiative aims to strengthen the access of Sahelian countries to the Atlantic Ocean in order to promote prosperity in Africa through South-South cooperation based on a mutually beneficial partnership.
The aim is also to revitalise the Sahel region, even for those countries that do not have direct access to the Atlantic Ocean, demonstrating a desire to foster development in the region. The Atlantic is considered to be a crucial geostrategic zone, a vector for peace and sustainable development, which joint efforts aim to transform into a dynamic and essential space on the international scene.
The Moroccan Initiative, as a strategic turning point for the region, seeks to redefine the Atlantic not only geographically, but also as an area of cooperation and dialogue. This vision will strengthen Africa’s position in this vast geopolitical area.
As part of this initiative, Morocco is offering landlocked Sahelian countries access to its road, port and rail infrastructures. This openness was clearly affirmed by King Mohammed VI, underlining that “Morocco is ready to make its road, port and rail infrastructures available to support this initiative.”
AC/fss/GIK/APA