CSIS : Morocco has most comprehensive cooperation strategy towards Sub-Saharan Africa

HM King Mohammed VI encouraged Moroccan companies and government agencies to extend their activities to Sub-Saharan Africa over the past decade, said author Haim Malka, deputy director of the Middle East program within this Washington-based Think Tank.

Malka recalled that HM King Mohammed VI visited several countries in the region since 2005 as part of efforts aimed at strengthening strategic links between the Kingdom and subcontinent countries.

He also said that, of all Maghreb countries, Morocco is the state that established the most comprehensive strategy towards Sub-Saharan Africa, and remains strategically important for the entire Maghreb region.

With the Middle East and North Africa in turmoil and Europe's economic recovery dragging, Morocco's focus on sub-Saharan Africa makes strategic sense, especially if it concentrates attention on West Africa, where it has the comparative advantage of shared language and religion with many states, a solid economic and diplomatic presence, and soft power assets, according to this expert.