King Mohammed VI: The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline is a project for peace, for African economic integration, for co- development

King Mohammed VI has pointed out this Sunday that he considers the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project as “a project for peace, for African economic integration and for co- development.”

“This is a project for peace, for African economic integration and for co- development: a project for the present and for future generations,” said the Sovereign when he brought up the project in a speech he delivered in commemoration of the 47th anniversary of the Green March that enabled Morocco to free peacefully its Sahara provinces from Spanish dominion.

“Given the continental dimension of the NMGP, I consider it to be a major flagship project which will link Africa to Europe,” the Sovereign said.

The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project (NMGP) was launched by King Mohammed VI and President Muhammadu Bukhari of Nigeria in 2015 and a related contract was signed in December 2016.

Several working sessions were held by the two sides, namely the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC Ltd), and l’Office national des hydrocarbures et des mines (ONHYM) and recently they signed in Rabat a Memorandum of Understanding with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and another MoU was signed in Nouakchott, with Mauritania and Senegal.

The NMGP provides opportunities as well as guarantees in terms of energy security and economic, industrial and social development for the fifteen ECOWAS Member Countries, as well as for Morocco and Mauritania.

The King who welcomed the progress made in this major project, said the signing of these agreements reflects the commitment of the countries concerned to contribute to the completion of this strategic project, and attests to their desire to see it through.

“Considering the special importance I attach to the partnership with West African countries, I consider the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project to be more than just a bilateral project between two sister nations.

In fact, I want this to be a strategic project that benefits all of West Africa – a region which is home to more than 440 million people,” he stated further.

The King also commended the support of regional and international financing institutions, which have expressed their wish to participate in the implementation of the NMGP.

“I would like to stress how keen we are, in Morocco, to continue to work closely, responsibly and with the utmost degree of transparency with our brothers and sisters in Nigeria, as well as with all partners, in order to implement the NMGP as soon as possible,” he insisted, noting that the project initiators are open to all forms of constructive partnership for the implementation this major African project.

In his speech, the king also insisted on the role played by the Moroccan Sahara, throughout history, as a link between Morocco and its African roots at the human, spiritual, cultural and economic levels.

“Through our development agenda, we seek to consolidate this historical role and make sure the region is more open to the future. This approach is in line with the special relations Morocco enjoys with other African countries, and which I am keen to strengthen in order to serve our peoples’ shared interests,” King Mohammed VI stated.

“To continue to be faithful to the spirit of the Green March and to its everlasting oath, we need to remain mobilized and vigilant in order to defend our nation’s unity, achieve greater progress and strengthen Morocco’s bonds with its African roots.”