Morocco’s Ambassador to Ghana, Imane Ouaadil, has called on African countries to deepen South-South cooperation and pursue home-grown development strategies as official development assistance continues to decline and the continent faces mounting geopolitical and economic challenges.
The Ambassador made the remarks during a reception marking the 27th Anniversary of the Accession of His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.
The event brought together members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, traditional authorities, business leaders, representatives of international organisations, the creative industry and members of the Moroccan community in Ghana to celebrate Morocco’s National Day and the longstanding friendship between Ghana and Morocco.
Addressing guests, Ambassador Ouaadil stressed that Africa’s future prosperity must be driven by stronger cooperation among African nations, founded on solidarity, mutual respect and a shared commitment to sustainable development.
“The continent’s development must be built by Africans themselves through active, concrete and mutually beneficial South-South cooperation, based on mutual respect, adherence to brotherly neighbourliness and true Pan-Africanism,” she said.
The Ambassador situated that vision within Morocco’s broader engagement on the continent under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, whose accession to the throne in 1999 has been accompanied by an expansion of Morocco’s diplomatic, economic and development partnerships across Africa.
During his reign, Morocco has undertaken wide-ranging economic and institutional reforms, expanded transport and renewable energy infrastructure, strengthened social protection programmes and positioned itself as one of Africa’s leading investors on the continent, particularly in banking, telecommunications, fertilisers, agriculture and renewable energy.
Ambassador Ouaadil noted that these domestic reforms have been matched by an outward-looking African policy that seeks to build partnerships based on mutual benefit rather than dependency.
“Over the past 27 years, Morocco has pursued an ambitious path of reform and modernisation, strengthening democratic institutions, expanding social protection, investing in world-class infrastructure and fostering sustainable economic growth. Guided by a long-term vision, Morocco continues to position itself as a reliable and trustworthy partner for peace, stability and prosperity in Africa and beyond,” she stated.
Morocco has also expanded its security cooperation across the continent through intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism collaboration, military training and religious diplomacy.
The Kingdom has become an important partner for several African states in combating violent extremism, particularly in the Sahel, while the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams has trained thousands of religious leaders from African countries as part of efforts to promote moderate religious leadership and counter extremist ideologies.
The Kingdom has further contributed to United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa and has strengthened bilateral security partnerships with countries across West and Central Africa through capacity building and defence cooperation.
Ambassador Ouaadil stated that Morocco’s engagement with Africa is anchored in the principles of solidarity, partnership and respect for national sovereignty, adding that sustainable development and peace are mutually reinforcing objectives.
She further underscored Rabat’s commitment to strengthening African solidarity while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of partner states, arguing that enduring partnerships should be built on dialogue, shared interests and collective responsibility rather than external dependence.
The reception also highlighted the growing partnership between Ghana and Morocco, which has expanded in recent years through cooperation in trade, agriculture, education, renewable energy, housing, fertiliser production and diplomatic engagement, reflecting the broader strengthening of relations between Rabat and Accra.
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