Rachid Talbi Alami from Nouakchott: The Common African Depth as a Treasure of Moroccan-Mauritanian Partnership
The President of the Moroccan House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami, affirmed today from the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott that the “common African depth” represents a “treasure” and a “unique area for Moroccan-Mauritanian partnership,” urging investment in this depth to achieve mutual development and prosperity.
In a speech during the opening of the first session of the Mauritanian-Moroccan Economic Parliamentary Forum, which is being hosted in Nouakchott for two days, he stated that “our common African depth provides a unique area for a win-win partnership and for developing businesses and exchanges,” noting that Morocco and Mauritania form a crucial link between three worlds: Africa, Europe, and the Arab world, extending to Asia and Eurasia.
He added that, as emphasized during the parliamentary summit of Atlantic African countries in Rabat, the initiative led by King Mohammed VI for Atlantic African countries is highly ambitious and serves as a structural boost for African continental integration. He highlighted the initiative’s importance, which complements the proposal to enable Sahel countries to access the Atlantic, aimed at alleviating the isolation of African sister countries without sea outlets.
During the opening session of the forum, which he chaired alongside the President of the Mauritanian National Assembly, Mohamed Bemby Ould Makt, and in the presence of parliamentarians, ministers, and economic actors from both countries, Talbi Alami stressed that Mauritania and Morocco are poised to play critical roles in these projects, which hold an international strategic dimension.
He underscored that the basic infrastructures available in Morocco and Mauritania bolster both ambitious projects by enhancing continental and international connectivity, emphasizing that “from a standpoint of interests, strategy, and global positioning, this will benefit both our countries and peoples, as well as the African nations.”
After highlighting the need to turn challenges into opportunities and mutual projects, he urged the legislative bodies to support government initiatives and private sector endeavors in both countries, promoting joint investments to meet the shared goal of “progress and renaissance together,” in line with the visions of the two leaders, King Mohammed VI and President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani.
In this context, the President of the House of Representatives stated that the first session of the Mauritanian-Moroccan Economic Parliamentary Forum marks the beginning of a new phase in relations between the two countries, moving beyond mere benefits to embrace the ties of brotherhood and kinship that have historically united the Moroccan and Mauritanian peoples.
He added that, while political relations exemplify “a model for relationships between neighboring brotherly countries,” and human and cultural ties, characterized by shared values and traditions, facilitate friendly communication between the two peoples, economic, technical, and service relations still fall short of their shared aspirations and the immense available opportunities.
He explained that it pertains to levers and constants that must be “jointly invested to address the numerous significant challenges facing both countries, meet shared goals, and fulfill the aspirations of the Mauritanian and Moroccan peoples.”
In this context, he emphasized that both Mauritania and Morocco, enjoying stability, find themselves facing a tumultuous geopolitical environment in several contexts and confronting the issues of drought and desertification, particularly due to climatic imbalances, resulting in job losses, loss of income sources, and internal migration. Additionally, both countries are managing migration and displacement from other parts of the world responsibly, with a human rights perspective that aligns with the hospitality traditions shared by their peoples.
He expressed his conviction that, through determination, sincere partnership, and intensive cooperation, Mauritania and Morocco can together write a story of success, prosperity, and comprehensive development that is rarely possible for neighboring countries.
He acknowledged that the parliamentary forum aims to give an economic content to discussions, proposing topics related to agriculture, livestock, fishing, training, and the preparation of human skills to be the focus of the session, with the participation of ministers and representatives from both countries’ private sectors.
The Mauritanian-Moroccan Economic Parliamentary Forum seeks to be a platform for dialogue and cooperation between parliamentarians, governments, and economic actors from Morocco and Mauritania, aiming to support sustainable development, enhance regional integration, and strengthen parliamentary relations to ensure effective legislative support for bilateral projects, encouraging investment and economic exchange, especially in strategic sectors.
Furthermore, it aims to bolster exchanges of successful experiences and expertise between the two countries and enhance trilateral cooperation by engaging African and international actors in order to expand development opportunities and build effective bilateral partnerships through a three-dimensional approach that includes legislative and executive authorities alongside the private sector, establishing a mechanism for follow-up and evaluation to ensure the implementation of the recommendations and agreements arising from the forum.
Participants in the forum will discuss a number of priority issues to enhance bilateral cooperation, including food security, agricultural collaboration, sustainable management of marine resources, vocational training, aligning skills with labor market needs, improving livestock breeds, animal health, and marketing as part of productive capacity development.
The establishment of the forum, which will hold its sessions alternately in Nouakchott and Rabat, comes within the framework of the historical and strategic relations between Morocco and Mauritania, based on strong political, economic, and cultural ties.
