Morocco’s Ambassador to the US Youssef Amrani extolled the importance of Africa in global geopolitics and economy, on Thursday during a speech at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC.
“Africa is the future,” the Ambassador told the American think-tank audience. The continent is becoming a “geopolitical equilibrium-maker that not only influences, but also determines the international decision-making process.”
He noted that big positive changes are happening on the continent. “19 elections are scheduled, paving the way for changes that will constantly reposition the continent at the center of agendas.”
Amrani touted Morocco’s Royal Project and its strategic strengthening of the continent, which he said “offers nothing less than a new African narrative built on increased solidarity, collaboration, and integration.”
The ambassador reiterated that Africa is at the heart of all the Kingdom’s priorities, and Morocco is fully invested in it. “Our common future is built together in concert and with an unwavering commitment to serve the primary and broader interests of African citizens,” he asserted.
The proof of Morocco’s engagement on the continent is Morocco’s Royal Initiative for Sahel Access to the Atlantic, facilitating trade by the Sahel countries, connecting them to the rest of the world, and giving them the chance to benefit from investment to develop their economies.
The ambassador also reviewed Morocco’s various initiatives to strengthen cooperation with the rest of the continent, particularly the Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline, adding that he is optimistic that the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area will strengthen intra-African partnerships even further.
Strengthening ties with African countries should not be limited to government, he argued. Rather it should also include other stakeholders, especially civil society actors and the business world. He cited Morocco and the United States’ celebration of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Free Trade Agreement, which has contributed to improving trade between the two countries.
He emphasized the critical role that African diplomats play in not only promoting their countries’ image to American stakeholders but also in presenting their ambitions and needs in terms of partnerships, based on common values while at the same time keeping their uniqueness and self-identities.
Amrani noted that African diplomatic missions in the United States play important roles in supporting growth and providing employment opportunities in African country governments for the benefit of future generations, as well as fostering peace and stability in particular parts of the continent.
Overall, the conference speakers generally agreed on the need to adopt strategic methods that promote mutually beneficial ties between the United States and Africa.
The meeting, which was attended by US officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives from academic institutions and the media, focused on the continent’s role in international collaboration, in expanding partnership possibilities, and in improving regional and continental integration.