Municipality of Lagouira explores cooperation opportunities with Senegalese cities

A delegation from the Municipality of the Moroccan Saharan city of Lagouira, accompanied by economic operators from the Aousserd province, is currently visiting Senegal to explore prospects for strengthening decentralized cooperation and investment opportunities with Senegalese municipalities.

In this connection, the Moroccan delegation held a working session with officials from the Senegalese Ministry of Territorial Collectivities, as well as with elected officials from the Dakar municipality of Gueule Tapée Fass Colobane. The session was dedicated to the exchange of experiences in municipal affairs management and the examination of ways to strengthen the win-win partnership between Moroccan operators and their Senegalese counterparts.

During this meeting, emphasis was laid on investment opportunities in the sectors of tourism, agriculture, and fishing.

To further strengthen this partnership, the Moroccan delegation proposed the organization of Senegalese Days in Dakhla, focusing on the economic, cultural, and sports sectors.
the “exemplary” and “centuries-old” relations between Morocco and Senegal, as well as the
In a statement to MAP, head of the Moroccan delegation and President of the Lagouira Municipal Council, Abdelfattah Ahl El Makki, said this visit is part of the partnership agreement that links the Municipality of Lagouira to that of Gueule Tapée Fass Colobane, signed in 2010 to promote cooperation between the two entities.

On his part, the Director of Decentralized Cooperation at the Senegalese Ministry of Territorial Collectivities, Papa Ngor Thiao, emphasized that the meeting with the Moroccan delegation focused on examining the decentralization policies in both countries.

“This experience is a well-established partnership axis,” he said, advocating for the establishment of a framework that could support all decentralized cooperation initiatives between Morocco and Senegal. For the Senegalese official, this multifaceted cooperation is oriented toward structural territorial projects.

For his part, the mayor of the Gueule Tapée Fass Colobane municipality, Abdoul Aziz Paye, shared the exchange of a “fertile” partnership between the two entities, calling for the expansion of decentralized cooperation to other municipalities in Senegal.

Additionally, the Director of the Strategic Center for the Sahara and Africa, Abdelfattah El Fatihi, who is part of the Moroccan delegation, held a conference on the relations between Morocco and Senegal. In his speech, he highlighted the strategic relations and historical ties between the two countries and reaffirmed the shared desire to make the bilateral partnership an exceptional model of inter-African cooperation.

El Fatihi recalled the numerous visits King Mohammed VI paid to Senegal, a country, he described as an “important partner” for Morocco.

Addressing the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, he emphasized Senegal’s support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and the autonomy initiative proposed by the Kingdom to find a solution to this regional dispute.

On Wednesday, Lagouira and Senegalese city of Bignona signed an agreement providing for fostering cooperation in local governance, sustainable development, solidarity economy, and exchange of cultural & educational experiences.

The signatories pledged to share experiences in sustainable agriculture, best farming resource management, community health services, solidarity tourism, and local entrepreneurship.

They also agreed to carry out joint community development projects and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Commenting the agreement, Head of Lagouira municipality Abdelattah Ahl Makki stressed the importance of local good governance, saying local authorities are the backbone of Morocco’s decentralization and driver of economic, social, and cultural development.

For his part, Mr.Bacary Diatta, mayor of Bignona, said the agreement aims to enhance decentralized cooperation between the two countries’ local authorities and strengthen further the centuries-old relations of friendship existing between Morocco and Senegal.