Hommam Al Nassim 
The foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad expressed their countries’ support for the initiative proposed by Morocco to facilitate the access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean.
“The foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad expressed, on Saturday (December 23rd) in Marrakech, the involvement of their countries in the international initiative launched by King Mohammed VI to promote the access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean, which offers great opportunities for economic transformation of the entire region,” a statement issued by the Moroccan Foreign Ministry said.
They stressed “the strategic importance of this initiative, and the Sahel region in particular, which offers great opportunities for economic transformation for the entire region, as it will contribute to the acceleration of regional connectivity, trade flows and shared prosperity in the Sahel region.”
In this context, they welcomed the inclusive and participatory approach to the development of this initiative, stressing their common ambition to strengthen cooperation relations through multisectoral, structural and innovative partnerships, reflecting the values of South-South cooperation and common development.
The Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad agreed to establish a national working group in each country to prepare and propose modalities for the implementation of this initiative.
The Ministers also agreed to finalize, as soon as possible, the proposals to be presented to King Mohammed VI and the Heads of State of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad.