Millen: Morocco is Determined to Contribute to Building a Stable and Prosperous Continental Structure
The Director General of the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies, Mohamed Toufic Millen, affirmed on Monday in Rabat, during a high-level meeting organized within the framework of the strategic dialogue of African think tanks, that Morocco is determined to contribute to building a stable and prosperous continental structure.
Millen emphasized, in his opening speech at this meeting, that Morocco’s African policy is based on "strengthening partnerships with African countries that are beneficial for all parties, as well as Morocco’s commitment to the continent’s issues."
In this context, he outlined the initiatives launched by the Kingdom for the benefit of African countries, referring to the Atlantic Royal Initiative announced by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which constitutes "a new cornerstone in promoting African integration."
He added that this initiative aims to make the African Atlantic front "a high meeting place for human communication, a hub for economic integration, and a focal point for continental and international influence," with positive effects not only on the Atlantic African countries and the Sahel states but on the continent as a whole. He also highlighted that Moroccan Sahara has all the potential to become a strategic hub serving the continent.
Millen underscored the essential role of think tanks in enlightening the public decision-making process by mobilizing precise expertise, reinforced by strategic thinking, foresight analysis, and confronting ideas, through which "public and private decision-makers have networks that enable them to address complex challenges."
On another note, the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Igoza Osaghae, stated that this meeting is of great importance, particularly as it brings together African think tanks aimed at pooling expertise and strengthening the continent’s capacity for strategic foresight.
Osaghae added that the goal is to achieve the objectives of the 2063 Agenda for a prosperous, stable Africa that is free of conflicts and wars, poverty, and capable of harnessing its strategic resources for its development and progress.
For his part, the Director of the Institute of International Relations in Cameroon, Daniel Urban Ndongo, highlighted the contribution of African think tanks in public policy, which could assist African governments in effectively coordinating all policies to achieve more sustainable economic growth.
The speaker also addressed some of the challenges faced by African think tanks, particularly those related to coordination, financial empowerment, and objectivity, emphasizing that their work should be based on studies and concrete facts free from any external influence.
It is noteworthy that this meeting, organized over two days in Rabat on the initiative of the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies under the theme "Africa in Transformation: The Power of African Think Tanks in Analysis, Foresight, and Adaptation," represents an opportunity to enhance African intellectual convergence, establish the foundations of a shared vision for development, and promote continental governance based on mutual responsibility, South-South cooperation, and collective ownership of transformation levers.
