French President Emmanuel Macron praised the “strong” and “clear” commitment of His Majesty King Mohammed VI towards developing a blue economy in Africa during the opening session of the “Africa for Oceans” summit, held on Monday in Nice, which he co-chaired alongside Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasna, representing the King.
Macron expressed gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco for organizing this summit and involving France in “this initiative that addresses fundamental stakes for the African continent and for all of us,” emphasizing Morocco’s African leadership under King Mohammed VI, whose ongoing efforts in ocean governance, combating plastic pollution, and promoting regional cooperation serve as a model for the continent.
The French president also commended the high-level message sent by His Majesty King Mohammed VI to the summit participants, which was delivered by Princess Lalla Hasna, who represented the King at the event.
He noted that “the King’s words are strong and clear regarding the strategy that should be adopted, a strategy we share together.”
In this context, Macron highlighted the “Atlantic Initiative” launched by the King to ensure landlocked African countries’ access to the ocean, which reflects this vision.
He reminded attendees that twenty years ago, His Majesty launched the Tangier Med port project, which “has become the largest port in the Mediterranean region,” noting that the commencement of works on the Dakhla port next year “will usher in a new era for the Atlantic Ocean and embodies the will to fully enable the African continent to access and open up to this maritime space.”
Macron concluded with, “It is no coincidence that this summit is held under the joint auspices of Morocco and France, two countries sharing the same shore, a dialogue rooted in history, and a shared will to chart a unified path towards a world more anchored in fundamental principles.”
The “Africa for Oceans” summit, organized within the framework of the Third United Nations Oceans Conference (Nice 2025), is part of the discussion on the development opportunities offered by Africa’s marine resources, while ensuring responsible and sustainable governance of marine areas.
Among its key themes, the summit addressed the search for funding to create modern and resilient infrastructure, ocean governance, management of fisheries resources, and strengthening connectivity between coastal and landlocked countries.
