His Majesty King Mohammed VI underlined the importance of the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project in his speech to the Nation on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the Green March on Sunday, November 6, 2022, stressing that it is intended for present and future generations and that it works for peace, economic integration of the African continent and its common development.
In this context, His Majesty King Mohammed VI stressed that throughout history, the Moroccan Sahara has always constituted a link between Morocco and its African depth on human, cultural and economic levels, and that the development effort carried out in the Sahara makes it possible to consolidate this historical role in a firm and sustainable way and, beyond, to inscribe it in a perspective resolutely turned towards the future.
This orientation is fundamentally in line with the very nature of the privileged relations uniting Morocco with the rest of the African countries, which His Majesty the King is keen to develop, in the best interests of our brotherly peoples.
In this regard, His Majesty King Mohammed VI recalled the memorandum of understanding signed with his brother, H.E. Mr Muhammadu Bouhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to launch this project, and noted the current state of progress of this great project, in accordance with the Agreement signed, in December 2016.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI also recalled that the memorandum of understanding recently signed in Rabat with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and in Nouakchott with Mauritania and Senegal, marks an essential milestone in the process of realizing the project, which also reflects the commitment of the countries concerned to contribute to the realization of this strategic project and illustrates their political will to ensure its success.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI welcomed the support of regional and international financial institutions, which have expressed their desire to provide effective assistance to its implementation, affirming “Morocco’s concern to act always, in concert with our brothers in Nigeria and all partners, in all transparency and responsibility, so that this project is realized as soon as possible.
Given the special interest that His Majesty King Mohammed VI has in the partnership with the West African States, the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline represents more than a bilateral project between two brotherly countries, expressing the wish that it will be more widely a strategic project beneficial to the entire West African region, whose population exceeds 440 million inhabitants.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI noted that, in addition to Morocco and Mauritania, this pipeline offers the fifteen ECOWAS countries opportunities and guarantees in terms of energy security and socio-economic and industrial development.
In view of the continental dimension of the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, His Majesty King Mohammed VI indicated that it is also a structuring project promising to link Africa and Europe.
In this respect, His Majesty King Mohammed VI welcomed the support of regional and international financial institutions, which have expressed their wish to provide effective assistance to its implementation.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI also affirmed Morocco’s willingness to act in concert with Nigerian brothers and all partners, in all transparency and responsibility, to ensure that this project is implemented as soon as possible, as well as His receptiveness to any form of fruitful partnership aimed at the successful completion of this major African project.