Sahel Countries Taking First Steps to Join Atlantic Initiative (Official)

The operationalization of the Sahel countries' membership of the Atlantic Initiative is already underway, Ambassador Mohamed Methqal, Director General of the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI) said on Friday in Dakhla.Speaking during the 7th edition of the "Morocco Today Forum" (MTF), Methqal recalled a meeting of foreign ministers from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad, held in Marrakech, during which a national task force was set up in each country to prepare the modalities for the operationalization of this Royal Initiative.This Initiative is a 'transforming' project, which will promote economic integration in the region's countries, he added, stressing that these countries face common challenges.In this respect, he cited the challenges of infrastructure and mobility, emphasizing the role of the new Dakhla Atlantic Port in meeting these challenges.Methqal also mentioned energy transition and human development challenges.For his part, Ambassador of the Republic of Mali to Morocc o, Fafré Camara, stated that his country fully endorses this "bold and credible" Initiative, noting that it offers the opportunity to develop and create infrastructures and new projects.The Technical Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burkina Faso, Lingani Hugues Christian, stressed his country's adherence to this "positive" initiative, recalling the measures taken to operationalize this adherence, including the setting up of a national task force.Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse