His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, received, on Monday at the Royal Palace in Rabat, the foreign ministers of the three countries of the Alliance of Sahel States: Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation, and Burkinabe Nationals Abroad of Burkina Faso, Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Mali and Bakary Yaou Sangaré, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Nigeriens Abroad of the Transitional Government of the Republic of Niger.
According to a statement of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, this audience falls within the framework of the Kingdom’s strong and longstanding relations with the three sister countries of the Alliance of Sahel States, relations that have always been characterized by sincere friendship, mutual respect, active solidarity, and fruitful cooperation.
During this Royal Audience, the Alliance’s Foreign Ministers conveyed to His Majesty the King, the gratitude of their Heads of State for His continued interest in the Sahel region, as well as for the Royal actions and initiatives aimed at promoting the economic and social development of the countries of the region and their peoples.
The Ministers particularly welcomed the Initiative launched by His Majesty the King to facilitate access for the Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean, reaffirming their full support for and commitment to accelerating its implementation.
Furthermore, the ministers presented to the Sovereign the institutional and operational progress of the Alliance of Sahel States, established as a framework for integration and coordination among its three-member countries.
Through this high-level audience, Rabat confirms its role as a trusted partner in the region and underlined a shared determination to pursue deeper integration and sustainable development across the Sahel.
Earlier this week, Niger’s Foreign Minister called Morocco an “essential partner” for Sahel countries, including those in the Sahel States Confederation, during a gathering at the Crans Montana Forum in Casablanca.