The Gambia Welcomes HM King Mohammed VI’s Initiative to Promote Sahel Countries’ Access to Atlantic Ocean

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The Gambian Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Mamadou Tangara, praised, on Thursday in Dakhla, HM King Mohammed VI’s International Initiative to promote access to the Atlantic Ocean for Sahel countries. At a press briefing held at the end of the 3rd session of the Morocco-Gambia Joint Cooperation Commission, co-chaired with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, Tangara stressed that this initiative is aimed at finding solutions to the crises raging in the Sahel region. Recalling HM King Mohammed VI’s historic visit to Gambia in February 2006, during which eight cooperation agreements were signed, the Minister noted that it was a clear gesture of the Kingdom’s desire to strengthen bilateral ties and support Gambia’s development. Tangara also commended the Kingdom’s support for his country’s hosting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit, emphasizing Morocco’s expertise in organizing internationally renowned events. In terms of security, Tangara expressed his admiration for Moroccan leadership in this area, reiterating his country’s willingness to work with the Kingdom to promote security and stability in the region and give fresh impetus to their bilateral relations. The Gambian Minister stressed that his country “unambiguously” supports Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara. He emphasized that Gambia is working to ensure that Morocco’s proposed autonomy initiative for the Sahara is better understood, noting that it is the “best solution” for putting an end to this regional dispute. In the same vein, the Gambian Minister lauded Morocco’s support for Gambians through the granting of around a hundred scholarships, with the aim of strengthening the country’s development capacities. He emphasized the quality of these training courses, which enable Gambian human resources to help build a promising future. During their meeting, the two officials signed eleven cooperation agreements covering a wide range of fields.