On Wednesday 21st September, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, affirmed in New York, that Morocco and China share the same ambition to establish a “win-win” south-south cooperation in support of development in Africa in various fields.
In the light of the elite ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of Global Development Initiative (GDI), Mr. Bourita said that Morocco has established, under the leadership and vision of King Mohammed VI, solid and multidimensional cooperation with African countries through pioneering initiatives and partnerships.
In this regard, the Minister reviewed the Triple S initiative to advance sustainability, stability, and security in Africa, the Triple A initiative to adapt African agriculture to climate changes and to provide African countries with medicines and medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic period, as well as cooperation in the areas of food security, fertilizers and climate change.
On this occasion, Mr. Bourita congratulated China on launching the Global Development Initiative, praising Beijing’s efforts to advance sustainable development.
The minister said that the launch of this initiative comes at an appropriate time and in an unprecedented context characterized by a triple crisis, health, food, and energy, as well as the search for appropriate solutions to global challenges.
Mr.Bourita clarified that “the initiative also comes seven years before the date set for achieving the sustainable development goals, whereas remarkable progress has been made in many regions of the world, several countries have known a delay in achieving these goals, as they are severely affected by the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Mr.Bourita perceives it as a dynamic partnership model to promote and advance international cooperation, including South-South cooperation, in order to implement the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Throughout this meeting held on the sidelines of the 77th General Assembly of the United Nations, Mr.Bourita observed that the initiative would certainly contribute to strengthening global solidarity and supporting the efforts of developing countries to meet their development commitments, especially in the current global context.
He also noted that Morocco’s support for the Global Development Initiative stems from the friendship ties that have existed between Morocco and China for decades.
“These relations have witnessed a new momentum since His Majesty King Mohammed VI visited China in 2016, a visit that culminated in the launch of a strategic partnership between the two countries,” said Mr.Bourita, adding that bilateral trade exchanges achieved a 50% jump between 2016 and 2021.
He said that Chinese investments in Morocco have also seen remarkable growth, with more than 80 projects in various fields.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates also highlighted that the cooperation between Morocco and China in the context of COVID-19 has given rise to a partnership in the field of health and vaccination, which culminated in the creation of a unit to manufacture the anti-Covid vaccine, stressing that this infrastructure will contribute to achieving Self-sufficiency and health sovereignty of Morocco.
He emphasized that at the beginning of the current year, the cooperation ties between the two countries have been strengthened by the signing of the agreement on the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative. Morocco was among the first countries in Africa to join this initiative.
The Minister recapped Morocco’s support for the Global Development Initiative, which will undoubtedly contribute to accelerating progress towards achieving sustainable development goals, especially in Africa.