Moroccan King’s vision enshrines role of Atlantic growth in advanced integration – Atlantic Council panel
Atlantic prosperity requires structural integration between South countries and their international partners, said on Friday Morocco’s ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, adding that “connectivity is the path that will take us there for sure”.
The diplomat made the remarks while speaking during a high-level panel discussion held in Washington by the U.S. think tank The Atlantic Council. The panel, hosted by senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center, Rama Yade, was attended by Ambassador Jessye Lapenn, U.S. Senior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation.
The diplomat, who highlighted several dimensions of the resolute vision of the King regarding the Atlantic region, explained that the Atlantic is a commitment of reason and a choice of responsibility through which the Kingdom seeks to make its full contribution to advancing peace, prosperity and cooperation in Africa and beyond.
The ambassador stressed the “anchored, deep and ancient” character of the Atlanticist synergies promoted by the Kingdom, and noted that Morocco’s maritime facade “has defined to a large extent the history and identity of Morocco through a geopolitical heritage that induces a particular way of taming the world around us.”
It is moreover “this well-understood convergence of destinies”, which makes all the coherence of Atlantic integration and which “requires us to foresee the paths of a more in-depth and efficient interaction to address together numerous issues,” he said.
The ambassador underlined Morocco’s efforts aimed at promoting a sustainable international order, away from divisions and tensions, and pointed out that “the principle of efficient multilateralism has always governed the Kingdom’s action within the Atlantic space, as evidenced by the multiplicity of strategic actions undertaken in the region.”
While insisting on the need to promote new channels of regional integration, the ambassador regretted that the Arab Maghreb Union had not, despite its existing mechanisms and its potential, played its role of support for co-development prospects in the region.
Youssef Amrani also underlined “the solidity and constancy of relations between Morocco and the United States, based on shared values and principles”.
For her part, Ambassador Jessye Lapenn congratulated the Kingdom for its leadership and unwavering commitment to promoting the Atlantic region.
She also welcomed the initiative of His Majesty the King, recalling the shared values which underpin the emergence of a common Atlantic identity.
The US official urged member states to work closely together to address common challenges and seize opportunities for integrated development.
The participants in this event highlighted the important role of the Atlantic region in strengthening relations between the United States and Africa. Through these initiatives, Morocco and its partners are resolutely committed to building a cohesive and proactive Atlantic alliance, with a view to addressing the issues of the 21st century.
