Morocco welcomes Guinea-Bissau’s backing for Atlantic initiative

Morocco’s foreign ministry welcomed Guinea-Bissau’s endorsement of its Atlantic-focused cooperation initiatives,as the two countries pledged to deepen bilateral ties and align positions on key regional issues.

Spearheaded by Morocco,the Atlantic initiative aims to unlock the potential of landlocked Sahel nations by giving them access to the Atlantic. Morocco had said it was ready to give access to its roads,rails and ports for that purpose.

During talks in Rabat,Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Bissau-Guinean counterpart João Bernardo Vieira highlighted Guinea-Bissau’s support for a royal initiative aimed at fostering development among African countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean.

“We discussed the royal initiatives in which Guinea-Bissau is an active participant,including the Atlantic Initiative and the Nigeria–Morocco gas pipeline project,” Bourita told a joint press conference. He thanked Bissau for what he described as its consistent backing of these projects.

The ministers also reviewed ways to advance implementation of these initiatives and expand bilateral cooperation frameworks.

Bourita reiterated Morocco’s longstanding diplomatic principles of non-interference and respect for national sovereignty,expressing confidence in Guinea-Bissau’s ability to manage its internal political situation. He added that bilateral relations should remain unaffected by domestic developments.

For his part,Vieira underscored the “strong convergence of views” between the two countries on regional and international matters,and reaffirmed Guinea-Bissau’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Morocco.

He also reiterated his country’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara territory and expressed backing for Rabat’s autonomy plan as “the only credible and realistic solution.”