Morocco Places Atlantic Initiative at Center of Africa-Carribean Foreign Policy

Rabat – Morocco placed its Atlantic Initiative at the center of discussions during the 2nd Africa-CARICOM Summit, presenting it as a concrete example of effective South-South cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean.

Morocco’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the African Union and the UN-ECA, Mohammed Arrouchi, who led the Moroccan delegation, described the Atlantic Initiative as a project that goes beyond providing landlocked African countries with access to the Atlantic Ocean.

It also aims to create an integrated network of infrastructure to make the Atlantic a shared space for trade and development for both regions.

Arrouchi detailed that Morocco places inter-African cooperation and partnerships with other regions of the Global South at the heart of its foreign policy. 

He pointed out, however, that economic exchanges between Africa and the Caribbean remain below expectations and noted the need to strengthen practical collaboration.

The ambassador recalled that the 1st Africa-CARICOM Summit had identified priority areas for cooperation, including trade, agriculture, energy, health, education, and connectivity. 

He stressed that sustained collaboration in these sectors remains essential to ensure resilience and build a development model suited to the specific needs of Africa and the Caribbean.

Morocco launched the ambitious Atlantic Initiative in November 2023 with the aim of enabling Africa to become a continent that not only addresses its own challenges but also asserts itself as a significant actor on the global stage.

“My goal is to transform the Atlantic region into a space for human interaction and economic integration, and to make sure it plays a key role at continental and international levels,” King Mohammed VI said in his Green March speech in November 2023.

By fostering cooperation, the initiative seeks to position the Atlantic region as a hub of global connectivity, allowing it to overcome isolation and emerge as a central player in the world’s economic and security arenas.