King Mohammed VI Urges Africa To Adopt Closer Ties With India – OpEd
Morocco will continue to be present in Africa and reinforce south-south cooperation to contribute to the development of the African continent and collaborate with all allies to bring peace and stability to this continent.
King Mohammed VI on Thursday called African countries to adopted a “comprehensive approach rooted in close cooperation with India”.
“Given the mix of development challenges and unprecedented terrorist threats they face, the Member Countries of this Forum should adopt a comprehensive approach rooted in close cooperation with India”, the Sovereign said at the opening of the third India-Africa forum summit that opened in New Delhi on Thursday.
After expressing Morocco’s readiness to set up “a joint working group to ensure coordination and information sharing”, HM the King said he firmly believes that the “promising” African-Indian partnership can grow and prosper thanks to the complementary nature of resources and skills, and “thus help us achieve our objectives and serve our peoples.”
The sovereign also argued that security and stability are the bedrock of development, insisting that “without them, our countries cannot achieve social progress nor undertake meaningful development initiatives.
King Mohammed VI called countries of the South to trust themselves and invest their assets and skills in the pursuit of shared progress for their peoples and thus catch up with emerging countries.
“Just as, on an earlier occasion, I pointed out that Africa should learn to trust Africa, today, from this rostrum, I would like to call upon the countries of the South to trust themselves and to invest their assets and skills in the pursuit of shared progress for their peoples and thus catch up with emerging countries”, said the Sovereign at the opening of the India-Africa forum summit that opened this Thursday in New Delhi.
After recalling that Africa’s adhesion to a number of bilateral and continental cooperation forums which are quite useful, although “some of them suffer from overlapping and imbalance, which often result in a lack of commitment and affect their efficiency”, HM the King noted that “Today, Africa deserves fair partnerships, rather than unbalanced relationships and conditional support.”
“As I indicated in my address in Abidjan, Africa does not need assistance as much as it needs mutually beneficial partnerships as well as human and social projects”, the Sovereign stated noting that “securing a bright future for our peoples is a responsibility that we must shoulder.”
“Our countries should continue to work together and uphold the principle of solidarity in order to serve their interests; otherwise, we will, once again, miss a historic opportunity”, insisted the Sovereign who warned that “this would be tantamount to a leap into the unknown.”
HM The King also voiced “appreciation to India and its Prime Minister for making sure this Forum Summit is different from previous ones in terms of its objectives and general orientation as well as the nature of its recommendations and follow-up measures.”
A very inspiring speech that will encourage Africa to overcome its Afro-pessimism and unlock its intellectual and material potential as well as that of all African peoples. Just imagine what the African continent will look like, once it frees itself of its constraints and burdens. Undoubtedly, the incoming century could be India’s and Africa’s to shape if they work together and reaffirm their equitable partnership.
