Africa Day, celebrated annually on May 25, is an opportunity to celebrate the continent’s diversity and enormous potential, and to commemorate the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor of the African Union (AU).
Africa Day is also an opportunity to highlight Morocco’s commitment to Africa, and its constant and unwavering solidarity with fellow African countries, in line with His Majesty King Mohammed VI Enlightened Vision, which aspires to an enterprising and prosperous Africa.
This day is also a celebration of the significant progress the continent has achieved in several areas, namely peace-building, trade, digitalization, climate, and migration.
Africa has always been prioritized in Morocco’s foreign policy, as the Kingdom constantly affirms an unwavering commitment to its African identity, setting the emergence and unity of the continent as a priority in line with the High Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
Under the Royal Vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI for Africa, Morocco has concluded a large number of agreements within the framework of south-south cooperation. His Majesty the King also conducted numerous visits to different African sub-regions, to strengthen cooperation and fraternal ties.
The Sovereign’s most recent visit to an African country was in February, when His Majesty held talks with the Gabonese President, His Excellency President Ali Bongo Ondimba, and donated over 2.000 tons of fertilizers to Gabonese farmers.
But His Majesty the King’s vision for Africa goes beyond visits, as the Sovereign initiated the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, which is expected to be the world’s longest offshore gas pipeline, stretching over 5.600 km across 11 African countries. This project is also one of the flagship projects linking the two countries through several West African countries.
Within the framework of south-south cooperation, His Majesty the King also established the Foundation for the Adaptation of African Agriculture to Climate Change, commonly known as the AAA Foundation, which aims to reduce the vulnerability of African agriculture to climate change.
As Commander of the Faithful, His Majesty the King established Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema, which serves as an institutional framework within which scholars are fully committed to the missions entrusted to them.
Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema aims to unify the efforts of Muslim religious scholars in Morocco and other African countries, foster the historical ties between Morocco and other African countries, and preserve the Islamic African cultural heritage.
Morocco’s initiatives for joint African action, under the Wise Leadership of His Majesty the King, are also reflected in its strong presence in the organs of the pan-African organization, notably the Kingdom’s second three-year term in the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) following the first one in 2018-2020.
In a similar context, Morocco, who rejoined the African Union (AU) in January 2017, reiterated its commitment to contributing to strengthening the AU that prides itself on stability and mutually shared continental ambitions.
On Africa Day, we stand proudly as Africans as we continue to work together on the promise of a prosperous and peaceful Africa for all.
