In a speech on the occasion of the celebration of World Africa Day, which coincides this year with the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the African continent, Mr. El Ktiri stressed that this celebration constitutes an opportunity to highlight the history of the common struggle of Morocco and African countries against foreign occupation.
History records that in the aftermath of its independence, the Kingdom of Morocco implemented the African dimension through the pioneering project called for by the late HM King Mohammed V, by hosting the Casablanca Conference in January 1961 and creating the Casablanca Group to develop a common African policy, political unity and economic, political and societal integration under the banner of Pan-Africanism, he recalled.
He stressed that this forward-looking vision of the late HM King Mohammed V is based on the historical, commercial, spiritual, cultural and political capital of the Kingdom of Morocco’s relations with many African countries that had just gained their independence.
Mr. El Ktiri added that the late HM King Hassan II continued to support this liberation project by supporting African countries in their struggle for independence, recalling in this sense that the Kingdom of Morocco is one of the founding members of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
Under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has maintained its positions and principles towards the African continent, he continued, noting that the Sovereign, since his accession to the Throne of his glorious ancestors, has spared no effort in signing conventions and partnerships with African countries and in establishing solid diplomatic and economic relations.
Furthermore, Mr. El Ktiri recalled the efforts made by the High Commission for Former Resistance Fighters and Former Members of the Liberation Army in promoting this historical heritage that linked the Kingdom of Morocco to brotherly African countries.
In this regard, he mentioned the launch of a project to document this common historical heritage, through the publication of several works on the subject and the organization of international and national debates and conferences.
In this context, the High Commission published the collective work “the common Moroccan-Algerian historical memory” in which some forty researchers, including 22 Moroccans and 20 Algerians, highlighted the different aspects of the material and logistical support provided by the Kingdom to the Liberation Front in Algeria since the outbreak of the Algerian revolution in 1954 until the independence of Algeria in 1962, he said.
In the same vein, Mr. El Ktiri announced that the High Commission, in cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans living abroad, is preparing to set up a pavilion dedicated to the common Moroccan-African memory.
This pavilion will be dedicated to historical, literary and artistic museum pieces relating to this glorious era of the collective struggle for independence, he explained.
He stressed that the creation of a museum pavilion dedicated to the common Moroccan-Algerian memory at the level of the space of the historical memory of the resistance in Oujda is part of the same framework, adding that the Mohammed VI Space for the common Moroccan-African historical memory will soon see the light of day in Assilah.
This ceremony, enhanced by the presence of members of the government, as well as many ambassadors of foreign countries accredited to the Kingdom, was marked by the screening of a documentary film retracing, with testimonies in support, Morocco’s support for the independence movements in Africa.
Participants in this event also attended the inauguration of the exhibition “Brothers in Arms, from the fight for African Independence to the oath of co-development”, which features, among other things, several photos by photographer Mohamed Maradji.
2024-08-17 14:47:53