Sahel States Alliance FMs Commend HM the King’s Atlantic Initiative in New York

New York – Foreign Ministers of the Alliance of Sahel States commended, on Wednesday in New York, His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s initiative to enable Atlantic ocean access for Sahel countries.

In statements to the press after a follow-up meeting on the implementation of the Royal Initiative, held with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, the Foreign Ministers of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad reiterated their countries’ full commitment to the Royal solidarity-based Initiative and to accelerating its implementation. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niger, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, expressed his country’s gratitude to His Majesty the King, emphasizing that the audience granted by the Sovereign to the Foreign Ministers of the Alliance of Sahel States on April 28, 2025, in Rabat marked “a great esteem.” During this historic audience, the minister continued, “His Majesty the King presented His initiative and His clear vision to enable our countries to access the Atlantic. We were deeply moved by this gesture.” Referring to the follow-up meeting, held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Nigerien minister noted that it provided an opportunity to “convey the greetings and gratitude of our countries’ authorities for this initiative.” “At this stage, we already have a matrix of projects developed by the task forces,” he explained, “which will meet soon to prioritize the projects and identify those that can be implemented immediately, in the short and long term.” “We are moving from the design phase to the implementation phase, to show the world that the Royal Atlantic Initiative is underway and becoming a reality,” the Nigerien minister concluded. In the same vein, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, emphasized that the meeting falls within the framework of strengthening ties between Morocco and the Alliance of Sahel States through this “special mechanism” embodied by the Royal Atlantic Initiative. He welcomed the “approach of consideration, listening, and mutual respect” that characterizes this cooperation, expressing appreciation for “the way in which Morocco approaches its relations with our countries, which are currently facing difficult times.” “Morocco acts as a brother, with a spirit of listening and mutual respect, as we jointly examine the problems and solutions to the challenges facing our countries,” he stressed. “This is also the feeling that the Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Alliance of Sahel States shared during the historic audience granted by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in Rabat,” he added. Likewise, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, praised the vision of His Majesty the King, which he described as authentic and forward-looking, viewing the Sahel “not as an isolated enclave, but as a gateway.” “His Majesty the King does not see the Sahel as a land without a future, but as a land of opportunities,” he stated, adding that this visionary approach is “fundamental” in shaping Morocco’s relations with Sahel States. He also noted that during the follow-up meeting, it was agreed to begin implementing, as soon as possible, the elements identified by the task forces that are ready for immediate execution. For his part, the Chadian Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Chadians Abroad, Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul, highlighted the “spirit” that prevailed throughout the follow-up meeting, saying he was “impressed” by the ambition driving the Royal Atlantic Initiative. “Chad is pleased to participate in this initiative alongside our Sahelian brothers,” he stated, noting that thanks to this Royal Initiative, “this space is emerging as a reservoir of opportunities — a source of hope for our peoples.” The Chadian minister also expressed his country’s gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, affirming: “Morocco has always stood by our side, and I can personally attest to that.” “It is clear from our discussions that we must focus on concrete, essential actions in a progressive manner, starting with already-identified projects,” he said, adding that the Royal Initiative “is meant to provide tangible solutions to the needs of our populations.” His Majesty King Mohammed VI announced the launch of this international initiative to facilitate access to the Atlantic Ocean for the Sahel States in a speech delivered on November 6, 2023, on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Green March.