The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad, Nasser Bourita, said on Wednesday that Atlantic Africa is not only a geographical entity but much more, a geostrategic space based on a common identity.
Bourita was speaking at a joint press conference with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Regional Integration of Cape Verde, Rui Alberto De Figueiredo Soares as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, Francophonie, Regional Integration and Gabonese Abroad, Michaël Moussa-Adamo, at the end of the 1st ministerial meeting of Atlantic African States.
On this occasion, he indicated that Atlantic Africa, which has immense potential that needs to be exploited, is at the same time confronted with major challenges in the face of which it is necessary to pool efforts, insisting, in this about a necessary restructuring of this geostrategic space.
Recalling that this meeting comes in line with the royal guidelines relating to South-South cooperation, Bourita said that the interest shown in the Atlantic Ocean dates back to the 1980s on the occasion of the holding of a conference of ministers. maritime fisheries, in addition to the Moroccan initiative launched in 2009 for the promotion of the Afro-Atlantic area which has long benefited from a strong will expressed by the Sovereign and displayed by Moroccan diplomacy.
He also welcomed the “success” of this 1st ministerial meeting of Atlantic African States in view of the number and level of representation of the participating countries represented by 15 ministers, i.e. one third of the countries of Atlantic Africa, in addition to the outcome to concrete results, maintaining that the level of participation illustrates the relevance of this initiative driven by HM King Mohammed VI and which is also the fruit of the interest that African countries attach to coordination and consultation within this important geostrategic space.
“It was therefore necessary, he said, for African countries to take the initiative to work together to restructure this space”, and this, due to the fact that the North Atlantic is structured then that the South Atlantic is still not.
Referring to the objectives of this meeting, he said that it mainly aims to re-establish cooperation between the Atlantic African States and also the development of a common vision as well as common and coordinated responses to the challenges posed before this space and taking into account its potentialities.
Supporting figures, he indicated that this area represents 46% of the African population, 55% of the African domestic product and 57% of African trade, in addition to the fact that it is the scene of 90% of maritime incidents that occur in the world, before pointing out that the Atlantic Ocean is facing environmental challenges such as the rise in sea level estimated at 3.6 millimeters per year, which impacts tourism, urban planning and economic activities on the coast.
He announced, in this regard, that it had been decided to set up three working groups concerning security and peace, the blue economy as well as the environment and its impact on Atlantic African States, in addition to the reactivation a permanent General Secretariat acting in a fluid manner, based in Rabat and which will be responsible for coordinating the work of the ministerial meetings.
It was also agreed to create national liaison points with a view to making the Atlantic Ocean a space for action for all ministerial departments and national stakeholders, he said, before specifying that the action in the next stage will be carried out within the framework of a single team because of the existence of a common identity and that “We are all Atlantic Africans”.
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Geoffrey Onyeama, stressed that this ministerial meeting is an opportunity for the institutionalization of efforts aimed at the promotion of this vital space and the preservation of its potentialities so as to serve the interests of the Atlantic African States and their prosperity, welcoming the Moroccan initiative behind the holding of this important conclave.
He also considered that “political dialogue and security” are the fundamentals of the prosperity of the African continent as a whole, indicating that “the African Atlantic area is full of immense resources but remains unfortunately fragile in view of the multiple security challenges posed “.
The head of the Nigerian diplomacy mentioned, among other things, the problems of terrorism, organized and cross-border crime, piracy, human trafficking, drugs and arms as well as disputes over maritime borders. .
He pointed out, in this regard, that security threats at the maritime level in the Atlantic African region are hampering the development of investments and economic growth while impacting the stability and security of countries. Hence, for him, the absolute necessity of designing national approaches in line with the challenges posed at the local level and this, within the framework of coordination between African States, also advocating for capacity building, promotion of training as well as the exchange and sharing of good practices.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Regional Integration of Cape Verde, Rui Alberto De Figueiredo Soares, for his part, spoke about the issue of the blue economy and connectivity, mentioning the challenges that threaten the environmental diversity within this vital space, among others, pollution, excessive and inappropriate exploitation of resources. In this sense, he called for the adoption of a balanced approach guaranteeing both food security and sustainability.
The head of the Cape Verdean diplomacy encouraged, in this regard, the African Atlantic States to give preponderant importance to maritime scientific research while deploring the fragility of the island countries within this geographical space in view of the risks caused by climate change. while noting the close and complex interrelation that exists between geostrategic issues in the world.
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, Francophonie, Regional Integration and Gabonese Abroad, Michaël Moussa-Adamo affirmed that this first ministerial meeting of Atlantic African States represents an opportunity for underline the urgency of consolidating South-South cooperation, welcoming the commitment of HM King Mohammed VI in favor of the reactivation of this geostrategic space.
It should be noted that the works of the first ministerial meeting of the Atlantic African States, held at the invitation of Morocco with the participation of 21 countries of the Atlantic seaboard, were sanctioned by the adoption of the “Declaration of Rabat”.
The Ministers of the Atlantic African States thus welcomed the Vision of King Mohammed VI to make the African Atlantic space a framework for pragmatic and timely inter-African cooperation, as well as the Sovereign’s commitment to reactivate this geostrategic framework for consultation between the countries. Atlantic Africans.
They also decided to establish three thematic groups, dealing with political and security dialogue, blue economy, maritime connectivity and energy, and sustainable development and the environment, emphasizing the importance of optimizing the African Atlantic space for a more concerted and coordinated management of migration governance.
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