The African countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean have agreed in Morocco to enhance their partnership and integration for shared peace, stability, and shared prosperity.
At the end of their 3rd ministerial meeting held Wednesday in Rabat, these countries adopted an action plan conducive to integration and co-development in African-Atlantic region.
To achieve the sought goals, the ministers pledged to foster political and security dialogue on the fight against terrorism, transnational organized crime, maritime piracy, and illegal migration.
They also agreed to support their blue economy, maritime connectivity, and energy cooperation, focusing at the same time on sustainable development and the protection & conservation of the marine environment.
In their declaration, the Ministers welcomed the inclusive flexible roadmap drawn up to unlock the region’s potentials, stressing the importance of coordinating actions with other cooperation initiatives in the southern and northern Atlantic, including the U.S. initiative for a peaceful, prosperous, open, and cooperative Atlantic region.
The Atlantic Ocean is home to important trade routes, significant natural resources, and essential biodiversity. It also faces challenges such as piracy, transnational organized crime, illegal fishing, climate change and pollution.
The Atlantic Ocean also offers untapped economic potential, from natural resources to new technologies. No country alone can solve the cross-boundary challenges in the Atlantic region and tackle its huge opportunities.
To counter common challenges, the African Atlantic countries meet regularly in Morocco to explore joint opportunities and discuss ways of consolidating partnership in the region.
In an opening address, Moroccan Foreign minister Nasser Bourita said Morocco has made the Atlantic “an identity and an opportunity”, calling on African Atlantic states to seize the joint opportunities offered in the blue economy, energy and other fields for co-development, integration and shared stability.
Source: The North Africa Post
