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Africa must be key partner in international cooperation - King Mohammed
Africa owes it to itself to become a key partner in international cooperation mechanisms, and not just a mere object of cooperation or a prize that others vie for.
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The continent should no longer be perceived as a vulnerable continent but as a driver of progress.
The King of the Kingdom of Morocco, His Majesty Mohammed VI, said this in a message delivered on his behalf to participants in the second Crans Montana Forum at Dakhla in Morocco.
The forum, which brought together over 800 participants, including government officials from more than 100 countries and representatives of international organisations, was on the theme: “Africa and the South-South Cooperation: Towards A Better Governance for Sustainable Economic and Social Development.”
The large presence of participants reflected a unanimous commitment to the event and to its overarching theme for the benefit of Africa, King Mohammed observed, and said this important event helped to remind the world that there would be no future without a cohesive, solidarity-based Africa standing tall and proud.
King Mohammed noted that it was the responsibility of states to champion forward-looking plans and to strive to implement them through determined action and structural projects.
He said, however, that no matter how ambitious public policies may be, they would remain fragile if they were not fully embraced by the citizens and civil society. This is the very essence of sustainable development — to be robust and sustainable. Development must be driven by a vision shared by all stakeholders in society and each one should decide how he or she is going to embody that vision.
For decades, he observed, the African continent had suffered tremendously in a world divided by colonisation and it reeled under the effects of ideological conflicts which were not of its making.
Today, the King of Morocco emphasised, “It is high time Africa regained its rights vis-a-vis both history and geography, a rich history of African peoples united by centuries of exchanges and diverse ties, and geographical facts which show just how important it is to have integrated, complementary sub-regional groupings.”
South-South Cooperation
King Mohammed pointed out that South-South cooperation was not an empty slogan, nor was it an appendix of development policies - one that was restricted to mere technical assistance.
He noted that South-South cooperation was the result of a homogeneous strategic vision, designed to promote the development of states and meet the needs of African populations, adding that it revolved around the potential, skills and expertise of each one of the stakeholders concerned.
“It is for this reason that Morocco has made South-South cooperation one of the pillars of its foreign policy, as well as a determinant of its international action,” he noted, and said it therefore sought on its own, as well as jointly with partners and sister nations, to implement concrete programmes in targeted areas to achieve measurable outcomes in terms of growth and well-being of the populations of countries of the South in the economic, social, cultural, environmental and religious domains.
The decision to meet once again in Dakhla had more than just a symbolic meaning; it bears witness to the fact that fresh momentum had been given to the vision they have of Moroccan Sahara, as a place conducive for interaction, as well as a platform for time-honoured human and commercial relations and for the exchange of knowledge between the South and the North.
Today, he said, development plans were a tangible reality, adding that they were about to create competitive economic hubs to stimulate growth, provide jobs, enhance cultural expression, uphold human rights and protect the environment.
Environmental challenges
The world in general and especially our regions were facing unprecedented environmental challenges, which were not just climate challenges, he observed, adding that they also, more importantly involved development challenges.
Africa should have a say in this global debate and should not keep quiet nor allow itself to be dictated to, let alone be forced to choose between development and the preservation of the environment, he stated.
“It is this vision that Morocco has chosen to champion as it appears at the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) in Marrakech next November.”
He expressed the hope that the global conference will celebrate South-South cooperation for the preservation of the environment, saying “Our overall objective is to make sure that the voice of a united, strong and determined Africa is heard and that it is heeded.”