Mohamed Ould Al-Rachid: Morocco Strengthens Its Partnership with Africa and Puts Energy Transition at the Core of Its Priorities
During his speech at the opening of the Parliamentary Forum for Economic Cooperation between Morocco and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), held in Laayoune, the President of the House of Councillors, Mohamed Ould Al-Rachid, reaffirmed Morocco’s steadfast commitment to its African choices for over six decades. He emphasized the Kingdom’s determination to continue moving forward with its African brothers on the path of shared development and building an integrated continental future.
Ould Al-Rachid noted that Morocco’s ties with African countries have been reinforced since the Casablanca Summit in 1961, called by the late King Mohammed V, which established the foundation for the continental integration project. He added that today, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom continues to solidify its comprehensive African vision through multidimensional projects.
The President of the House of Councillors highlighted Morocco’s active engagement in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and its implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area agreement, in addition to strategic initiatives such as the Atlantic Africa Project and the initiative to improve access to the Atlantic Ocean for Sahel countries, aiming to create shared developmental spaces.
Ould Al-Rachid indicated that this dynamic is accompanied by the launch of major projects, such as the gas pipeline between Nigeria and Morocco and the initiative to adapt African agriculture to climate change, considering them successful models for sustainable African cooperation.
He pointed out the significant challenges facing the continent, particularly the paradox of Africa possessing more than half of the world’s unutilized arable land while still being one of the regions most affected by food insecurity. He stressed that addressing these contradictions requires the activation of collective and sustainable mechanisms.
Ould Al-Rachid affirmed that food security and energy are essential pillars for any stable development, calling for the acceleration of the energy transition in Africa. He explained that despite the vast potential for renewable energy on the continent, 600 million Africans still lack electricity, while global investments in this area remain weak.
He noted that this imbalance represents not just a developmental gap but also signals risks for Africa’s present and future, necessitating investment in local renewable resources, enhancing energy efficiency, and integrating technology at various stages of production and distribution.
Ould Al-Rachid concluded by emphasizing that Morocco has made the energy transition a national and continental priority, reminding that the Kingdom has made significant progress in this area through projects such as the Noor Solar Plant and wind farms in Tarfaya and Boujdour, with a goal of achieving 52% renewable energy by 2030.
