For the first time, the UN Secretary-General highlighted in his annual report on the Moroccan Sahara the Royal vision "for the Atlantic coast to become a gateway for trade and economic integration with Africa and the Americas by facilitating the access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic."
Referring to the speech of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, delivered on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Green March in November 2023, the UN Secretary-General informed the members of the Security Council about Morocco's initiative to strengthen the role of the Moroccan Sahara as a regional economic hub, facilitating exchanges between sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world.
Thus, the Security Council members are presented with clear evidence of Morocco’s serious and credible efforts, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in favor of a regional cooperation and development approach that goes beyond purely security or military solutions, providing African countries, especially landlocked Sahel nations, access to Morocco's road, port, and rail infrastructure.
Antonio Guterres' report is a strong diplomatic endorsement, enabling the UN executive body to invest in the Royal Atlantic strategy, based on a South-South solidarity cooperation with its African neighbors, aiming for its formal recognition and integration into the UN’s policies and projects.
