Morocco’s Atlantic Initiative, which aims to provide Sahel countries with a maritime outlet, will be a window for Sahel countries to promote their economies and African economy in general, said Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS), Rida Lyammouri.
“This initiative will be a new window for Sahel countries to develop their economies, as it will contribute in getting out of the security crisis these countries are currently suffering from”, Lyammouri told Barlaman Today on the sidelines of the 8th African Peace and Security Annual Conference (APSACO), held on June 10-11 in Rabat.
Highlighting the importance of this ambitious plan, which will end the isolation of Sahel countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and Mali by opening their doors to the Atlantic Ocean, “will not only bring peace to the Sahel, but also to North and West Africa”, the expert underlined.
“I think it’s important not to abandon them (Sahel countries). It’s why Morocco is bringing Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad to the table”, Lyammouri pointed out.
Regarding the 8th African Peace and Security Annual Conference (APSACO), the expert commended the PCNS initiative, which “brings together specialists from around the world to talk about the mediation role of different actors in conflicts that are currently taking place, especially in the Sahel region that has been sidelined and isolated”.