MIDWEEK REPORTER

MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA-One of the biggest economies on the African continent, Kingdom of Morocco is leading the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area by partnering other countries in multibillion projects which increase trade between countries.

Morocco is making in roads mainly in the energy and agriculture sectors where the Kingdom is partnering countries like, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Ghana to the tune of US$3.7billion to lift million out of poverty.

This came out during the address by the Kingdom of Morocco President of the House of Councillors, Enaam Mayara to the Sixth Pan African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa on May 15 this week during the official opening.

Mayara said the processes of the implementation of the ACFTA are at the center of the Kingdom of Morocco’s interests as they are important in changing the continent’s developmental model of productivity and creation of opportunities for everyone.

“This important continental project will also enable the creation of a large number of job opportunities for the benefit of young people and save 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty and improve the income of 68 million people, while increasing continental wealth by 450 billion dollars,” said Mayara.

He also added that in this regard the Kindom of Morocco has already established platforms for the manufacture of fertilizers in countries like Ghana and Ethiopia as well as an energy pipeline that will pass through a number of countries from Nigeria.

Already trade between Morocco and other African countries has increased by 9.5% which clearly makes the Kingdom one of the most important trading partners on the continent.

“My country is also working, through the Chérifien Office of Phosphates, to develop an advanced continental value chain that will enable Africa, within years, to have fair and equitable access to sufficient quantities of fertilizers.

“My country adopts, a clear vision to implement projects that will change the agricultural appearance of the continent and enhance its food security, the most prominent of which is the work to establish an industrial platform for the production of fertilizers in Ethiopia at a cost of 3.7 billion dollars and with a production capacity of about 2.5 million tons annually of fertilizers destined for the local and export markets in addition to opening a factory in Ghana, which will be dedicated to the manufacture of fertilizers, and a second factory in Nigeria, which will be dedicated to the manufacture of ammonia used in agricultural fertilization.

“On the energy level, my country and the Federal Republic of Nigeria are working on the completion of a gas pipeline between the two countries that passes through a group of countries in the west of the continent. It is an ambitious initiative to value the capabilities of African resources, reshape the regional energy map, enhance the logistical and competitive capabilities of African gas, and strengthen its position in the European market. The investments of this project will amount to about 25 billion dollars, and after its implementation, it will become the longest gas pipeline in the world and the focus of the international energy map,” added Mayara.

The Kingdom of Morocco also appreciates steps taken by the PAP led by its President, Chief Fortune Charumbira in helping integrating the continent in many areas including cultural, political and social.