King Mohammed VI, President Buhari Discuss Gas Pipeline Project over Phone

King Mohammed VI of Morocco and President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, discussed over the phone Monday progress made in the implementation of the strategic Atlantic Gas Pipeline that will carry Nigerian gas through six West African countries to Morocco with a potential for export to Europe.

The two heads of state discussed bilateral relations, with focus on the state of progress of the strategic pipeline project, the royal office said in a statement.

The two heads of State welcomed in this vein the concrete steps made towards the materialization of the pipeline project, in particular through the regular meetings and exchanges undertaken by the common bodies set up for this purpose.

King Mohammed VI and President Buhari voiced their shared resolve to strengthen further their countries’ bilateral relations in all fields and to implement the actions and projects agreed upon during the Moroccan King’s visit to Abuja in December 2016.

The projects cover many sectors, including agriculture, fertilizer production, and security cooperation.

The Atlantic Gas Pipeline, to stretch over 4000km, is an ambitious project that will extend to the Mediterranean the existing West African Gas Pipeline transporting Nigerian gas to Ghana.

The project will contribute to creating a regional electricity market and be a substantial source of energy, which will help develop industry, improve economic competitiveness and speed up social development, King Mohammed VI had underscored in a Speech before the African Union Summit.

The pipeline “will help build more peaceful bilateral and multilateral relations and thus create an environment conducive to development and growth,” he had said.