Growing number of African countries are turning to Morocco, The Hill

"Increasingly, a number of African countries have also turned to Morocco not only for the example of its decade-old National Human Development Initiative (INDH), which since its inception has invested over ê6 billion on more than 700 locally administered educational and other anti-poverty projects, but also as a development partner," said Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council's Africa Center.

He went on saying that, last year, during a visit to Côte d'Ivoire, HM King Mohammed VI not only declared that "Morocco fully assumes its African vocation," but also affirmed that "South/South cooperation should be at the heart of the economic relationships" between African countries.

Pham recalled that Moroccan philanthropies and business have not been slow to take up HM the King's call to increase their own involvement across Africa. "The Mohammed VI Foundation for Sustainable Development has entered into a cooperation agreement with the Senegalese government to provide over ê2 million in funding to a project in Dakar's Soumbedioune Bay for artisanal fishermen."

He added that "the Moroccan-owned OCP Group recently announced a three-year, ê5 million commitment that will ensure 100,000 small-holder farmers in six East and West African countries affordable access to appropriate fertilizers specific to their crops and soils as well as a range of services and support to turn these inputs into larger crop yields and, consequently, higher incomes."