Morocco to Oppose Any Debate Aimed at Exploiting Sahara

Morocco on Monday said that it would oppose any “sterile debate” aimed at exploiting the Moroccan Sahara.

Mr Nasser Bourita, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said this at a one -day African Ministerial Conference on the “African Union’s Support to the United Nations Political Process on the Regional Dispute over the Sahara”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the conference was held in Marrakech, Morocco.

The conference, organised by the Moroccan Government was attended by representatives of 40 African countries, including Nigeria.

Bourita said the conference was organised to rub minds and exchange ideas on how to move forward on issues that are important to Africa.

The minister said the conference was also organised as part of the wise and enlightened vision of the African states to strengthen the unity of the continent against any attempt to deviate from its urgent priorities in sustainable human development and regional integration,

“Our meeting comes at a time when Africa is facing substantial challenges which require that we meet more, consult more and work more together to move Africa forward.

“Because our countries and our continent have considerable expectations. The expectations of a youth which is free from the dogmas of the past, lucid about its needs and demanding in its aspirations.

“This very youth which is on the receiving end of the restructuring projects of tomorrow’s Africa: the ZLECAf, Agenda 2063, the Open Sky.

“Africa’s best interest, therefore, calls us to come together, it forbids us to fight the wrong battle.

“Our watchword should resolutely be that of unity, cohesion and coherence,” Bourita said.

He said: “we Africans must be coherent with ourselves first, with the organisation that unites us and with the partners that challenge us.