Saudi-African Summit Reiterates Need for Respect for National Sovereignty, Non-intervention in Internal Affairs

The Saudi-African Summit, held Friday in Riyadh, adopted a joint roadmap establishing as cornerstones of all cooperation between the two parties in political, security and military fields, the principles of respect for national sovereignty, non-intervention in internal affairs, good neighborliness and mutual respect as well as common interests, in accordance with international law.    The “Riyadh Declaration” issued at the end of this Summit welcomed Morocco’s action within the Africa Focus Group, part of the Global Coalition against Daesh.    The document called for pooling efforts to fight terrorism and all forms of extremism and strengthening cooperation in the fight against cross-border organized crime, drug and psychotropic drug trafficking, money laundering and international trafficking networks, to promote the security and stability of countries and their peoples.    His Majesty King Mohammed VI is represented at the summit by the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch.    The Moroccan delegation to this high-level meeting includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita.    The Moroccan delegation also includes Mustapha Mansouri, Morocco’s Ambassador to Riyadh, Mohamed Arrouchi, Morocco’s Ambassador-Permanent Representative to the African Union, and the Director of Mashreq, Gulf, Arab and Islamic Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Fouad Akhrif, the Director of Greater Maghreb and Arab Maghreb Union Affairs and the African Union, Hassan Boukili, as well as officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Morocco’s missions in Cairo and Addis Ababa.