South-South cooperation represents a strategic pillar of royal diplomacy, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Omar Hilale stated Saturday in Rabat during the 14th Atlantic Dialogues conference.
Speaking at a panel titled “North-South Transatlantic Partnerships: Between Expectations and Realities” organized by the Policy Center for the New South, Hilale noted that Morocco’s development remains inseparable from its regional environment.
The ambassador described Morocco’s unique position at the crossroads between the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas as enabling the kingdom to play a pioneering role in international cooperation, particularly South-South partnerships.
Hilale advocated for a paradigm shift in international economic relations. “The South must access its own development possibilities through co-financing, project participation, technology transfer, and equitable market access,” he said.
The diplomat called for moving beyond an economic model that relegates the South to merely exporting raw materials. He cited Morocco’s transformation of its phosphate resources into fertilizers and chemical products as an example, adding that the country now exports its expertise through South-South cooperation frameworks.
This “win-win” cooperation aims to achieve development that brings security and prosperity, Hilale explained. He referenced King Mohammed VI’s initiative to facilitate Sahel countries’ access to the Atlantic Ocean as a concrete instance of this approach.
Morocco has become a hub for development across Sahel and Atlantic coast African countries through its port, railway, and highway infrastructure, the ambassador remarked.
Hilale also addressed the technological dimension of cooperation, discussing the “Hub Morocco Digital for Sustainable Development” (D4SD) initiative. The program, launched in alignment with the monarch’s vision, seeks to accelerate digital transformation across Africa and the Arab region.
“This strategic initiative positions Morocco as a regional and continental catalyst for inclusive and sustainable digital transformation serving African and Arab countries,” Hilale said.
The panel examined ways to reconcile Southern expectations with Northern realities and strategic interests to build stronger partnerships in a multipolar world.
The Atlantic Dialogues conference continues to address key issues in transatlantic cooperation and international development strategies.
MWN with MAP
