Morocco always an African nation. Ambassador Nezha M’hammdi declares on national day
Morocco never left Africa, even when it was no longer a member of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the Ambassador of the Royal Kingdom of Morocco to Ghana, Madam Nezha Alaoui M’hammdi, has stated on the occasion of the commemoration of the 17th anniversary of the ascension to the Throne of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
Advertisement
“The country is an African nation and will always be, and all of us Moroccans, shall remain at the service of Africa. We shall be at the forefront of actions to preserve the dignity of African citizens and ensure respect for our Continent,” the Ambassador assured.
By returning to the African family, the Ambassador said Morocco sought to keep up its commitment to Africa and strengthen its involvement in all matters it feels strongly about.
From within, Morocco will contribute to make the AU a more robust organisation; one that was both proud of its credibility and relieved of the trappings of an obsolete era.
Madam M’hammdi stressed that the time of ideology was over and our people needed concrete and tangible actions. One cannot change geography, nor can one escape the burden of history.
“Morocco should not remain outside its African institutional family and should regain its natural and rightful place within the AU,” she noted.
She said cooperation which is already intense with more than 40 African countries, at the bilateral level, will be further expanded and revitalised.
Moroccan know- how could therefore be offered on an even broader scale and in a more streamlined framework.
This is particularly true, she noted, regarding issues relating to security and the fight against terrorism.
The Moroccan expertise, which was widely recognised at the international level and sought by many countries, including European ones, would be leveraged to promote security and stability in all African countries, particularly those in West and Central Africa, Ambassador M’hammdi stated.
The Ambassador recalled the words of His Majesty King Hassan II, in his message to the 20th OAU Summit on November 12, 1984, announcing Morocco’s withdrawal. She said those words by the late king, proved prophetic, and the conclusion today was obvious, as Morocco had kept its promise.
“Three decades later, Africa has never been so much at the heart of Morocco’s foreign policy and its international action as it is today,” she pointed out.
South-South cooperation
Madam M’hammdi announced at the function, also known as “The Feast of Throne”, that the Kingdom had forged a unique, authentic and tangible South-South cooperation model which had made it possible not only to consolidate cooperation in the traditional areas of training and technical assistance, but also to engage in new, strategic sectors such as food security and infrastructural development.
She said “This process will not be ending any time soon. And –like it or not-- it is irreversible.”
The important involvement of Moroccan operators and their strong engagement in the areas of banking, insurance, air transport, telecommunications and housing are such that the kingdom is now one of the biggest African investors in Africa, she stated.
Moroccan Ambassador with other invited dignitaries
Morocco-Ghana relations
Touching on the Morocco-Ghana relations specifically, she said Morocco had proved in the last years by stepping up their efforts for bringing their bilateral relations with the Republic of Ghana to higher levels.
She said her country had done it with passion, consistency, determination and hand in hand with the Ghanaian authorities.
The Ambassador was, however, happy to note that Morocco-Ghana relations had experienced an important stage, which was the meeting in Rabat of the first Joint Commission, under the chairmanship of the two Foreign Affairs ministers of the two countries.
The significant and distinguished presence of three members of the Ghanaian Government in that Joint Committee, as well as their talks with several of their Moroccan counterparts, reflected the shared will to build strong relationships and to establish a South-South partnership between two African countries and also between two African regions.
The National Day reception
On the well-attended National Day itself, she said it was a privilege to welcome everybody to the reception, as they celebrated the Moroccan people’s commitments to the Monarchy for more than 12 centuries.
The occasion, she stressed, also marked seventeen years of institutional, economic and social reforms which culminated in 2011 with the new Constitution, passed by a majority of 70 per cent of the votes cast by the Moroccan people.
The Ambassador extended her sincere appreciation and thanks to President John Dramani Mahama, and to the Government and people of Ghana, for the continued cherished relationship.
She proposed the toast for the well-being and prosperity of the two countries.
The function was attended by members of the Diplomatic Corps, members of the Council of State, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, traditional rulers, business executives and members of the Moroccan community.
The guests were treated to Moroccan finger foods and various dishes, fine drinks and nice music.
Minister of Lands
In his address, the leader of the Ghanaian delegation to the function and Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills, said Ghana was impressed with the institutional, economic and social reforms, achieved in Morocco under the reign of King Mohamed VI.
He said the peace and tranquility currently enjoyed by Morocco in the face of the new global security challenges confronting most nations, constituted a further testament of the level of confidence the people of Morocco had in the leadership of the King of Morocco.
The minister said Ghana and Morocco had a shared interest in ensuring regional peace, security and stability, which were a sine qua non for the development and prosperity of the African continent.
Nii Mills noted that there was still the need to continue to work towards increasing cooperation in such areas as trade, investment and private sector partnerships between the two countries, to further improve the goals of the economic development of the two countries.
For some years now, he pointed out that the Moroccan government had been contributing to the human resource development of Ghana, through scholarships it grants to young Ghanaian students to study in Moroccan universities.
The minister was happy to note that the relations between Ghana and Morocco dated back to the liberation struggle in Africa, when the founding fathers of the two countries teamed up in the fight against colonial rule.