Portugal backs Morocco’s Atlantic Initiative in favor of landlocked African states

Portugal,an Atlantic nation with centuries-old ties to many countries in Africa,has backed in clear-cut terms Morocco’s initiative to facilitate access to global trade for landlocked Sahel states.

This came in a joint statement following talks in Lisbon Tuesday between Moroccan Foreign Minister,Nasser Bourita,and his Portuguese peer,Paulo Rangel.

Portugal backs the Atlantic Initiatives launched by King Mohammed VI in support of the African continent,notably the Initiative of the Atlantic African States Process,the Royal International Initiative to facilitate access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean,and the Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic African Gas Pipeline Project,the joint statement said.

In the statement,Portugal welcomed the reforms launched by Morocco and recognized Morocco’s role as a driver of development and a provider of stability in the region and across Africa.

Four landlocked Sahel states: Burkina Faso,Chad,Niger,and Mali subscribed to the Atlantic initiative,which has won support from global powers.

The Atlantic pipeline has received the full backing of the regional grouping ECOWAS,where it is perceived as a catalyst for regional integration and energy security.