Speaking at the opening of the 3rd session of the Morocco-Guinea-Bissau Joint Cooperation Commission, Mr. Bourita stressed the need for joint action to lay the foundations for dynamic cooperation in all priority areas, namely health, education, vocational training, energy, agriculture and maritime fishing, stressing that Morocco is willing to set up a business council including Moroccan economic operators and their Guinea-Bissau counterparts.
In this regard, he welcomed the contribution of the Moroccan private sector to the promising development process in which Guinea-Bissau is engaged, particularly with regard to the banking sector, air transport and telecommunications.
Mr. Bourita stressed that the holding of this ministerial meeting in Laayoune testifies to the quality of the privileged relations and the secular ties uniting the two countries, welcoming the dynamics of bilateral relations since the historic visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to Guinea Bissau in May 2015.
He expressed his consideration and gratitude to the Bissau-Guinean Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities, Carlos Pinto Pereira, for the constant and clear-sighted position of the Republic of Guinea Bissau in favor of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom and its permanent support for the Moroccanness of the Sahara.
“The Republic of Guinea Bissau has always been a fervent defender of Morocco’s right to its Sahara and the legitimacy of its cause on the international scene,” he said, noting that this position was crowned by the opening of a Consulate General of Guinea Bissau in Dakhla, on October 23, 2020.
The holding of the 3rd session of the Morocco-Guinea Bissau Joint Cooperation Commission is part of the common will of the leaders of the two countries, HM King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, and His Excellency President Umaro Sissoco Embalo to deepen cooperation between Morocco and Guinea Bissau and raise it to the rank of strategic cooperation and partnership relations.
Based on the conviction in the importance of its African depth, said Mr. Bourita, Morocco has always been committed, under the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, to establishing South-South cooperation, particularly with African countries, as a major lever to achieve sustainable development, progress, and prosperity for African peoples, through win-win partnerships.
In this context, Mr. Bourita recalled the multiple Royal initiatives for the benefit of Atlantic African countries and those promoting access for Sahel countries to the Atlantic with the aim of guaranteeing the conditions for the emergence of a new era of shared development and prosperity for the benefit of African peoples.
He added that the Kingdom is committed to supporting the port infrastructure projects launched by the government of Guinea-Bissau, in particular the ports of Bissau and Buba, through the establishment of a framework promoting partnership between the two parties in terms of support and modernization of ports, affirming that Morocco is thus committed to supporting Guinea-Bissau in the development of projects and programs of its national development plan.
The Minister also welcomed the political will demonstrated by the government of Guinea-Bissau and its serious commitment to the realization of the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline through the signing of the tripartite memorandum of understanding in December 2022, adding that this megaproject represents a symbol of South-South cooperation, which southern countries should encourage to consolidate the African development model advocated by His Majesty the King.
And in order to strengthen the cooperation ties between Morocco and Guinea-Bissau, continued Mr. Bourita, “it is time to form a ministerial commission for monitoring, orientation and evaluation, chaired by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries, composed of the essential sectors concerned by this partnership, and responsible for ensuring the coordination of sectoral policies and strategies.”
Furthermore, the minister stressed that the Kingdom has demonstrated its willingness to activate new mechanisms for exchange and sharing of expertise in the scientific and technical field, in addition to cultural and academic exchanges, similar to what is done with other brotherly and friendly countries.
He noted, in this regard, that cooperation in these sectors has seen remarkable progress, which has enabled a number of students and executives from Guinea-Bissau to benefit from scholarships and registrations in public higher education establishments and institutes in Morocco.
Mr. Bourita welcomed, on this occasion, the notable development achieved by the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, under the leadership of HE Umaro Sissoco Embalo, particularly with regard to the anchoring of political stability and the promotion of socio-economic development.
He also expressed his appreciation for the role played by Guinea-Bissau within the framework of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its tireless efforts as an indispensable actor in the fight against all manifestations of extremism and terrorism in the region.
2024-09-23 12:22:52