Rabat - Morocco and Atlas Marine have officially signed a protocol for the creation of a new commercial maritime line connecting Agadir and Dakar.
Karim Achngli, President of the Souss Massa Regional Council, and Gregory Darling, President of the Atlas Marine, signed the agreement today in the presence of Said Amzazi, governor of the region.
The agreement aims to streamline goods transport and address logistical challenges between Morocco and West Africa.
Atlas Marine is the company in charge of implementing the project, which is part of Morocco's vision of further deepening its continental depth by boosting cooperation with African countries.
The project;’s goal is to reduce transportation costs and improve the efficiency of goods and truck transport as well as contributing to enhancing commercial exchanges and opening new investment opportunities between the two regions.
Commenting on the protocol agreement, Achengli said the Agadir Dakar maritime line is an integral part of the implementation of the royal vision, which places “great importance on strengthening African cooperation.”
He explained: “The direct link between Agadir and Dakar will open new perspectives for importers and exporters and boost intra-African trade.
Driss Boutti, President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Entreprises (CGEM) in the Souss Massa region, highlighted the importance of the project and noted that the Agadir-Dakar maritime route is part of the efforts to boost interafrican cooperation.
He also announced plans to open additional maritimes routes between Agadir and many other African destinations in the near future.
The initiative reflects Morocco’s commitment to boosting its ties with the African continent, particularly enhancing regional cooperation dn economic integration.
Under this vision, Morocco recently launched the Atlantic Initiative aiming to provide Sahelian countries with direct access to the Atlantic Ocean.
“The Atlantic coast is our gateway to Africa and the Americas. Hence my keen desire to rehabilitate our national coastline, including the part in the Moroccan Sahara region bordering thAtlantic, and re-engineer this geopolitical space at the African level,” King Mohammed VI said in his Gren March speech in November 2023.
He also stressed his vision in transforming the region into a hub for human interaction and economic integration. The ultimate goal, the monarch suggested, has been to cement Morocco’s standing as a regional leader, a trendsetter, and a model as the continent strives to rise up to the pressing challenges of an ever-shifting and more competitive global economy.