Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita held talks with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, currently on a working visit to Morocco.
During the meeting held in Rabat on Friday, Bourita presented the Morocco's maritime vision, guided by the Very High Vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which supports Morocco's efforts as a leading maritime nation, with its 3,500 km of maritime coastline, in favor of supportive, pragmatic and forward-looking South-South cooperation, notably through capacity-building and the sharing of experience and best practices with African countries. The Moroccan minister also outlined the Royal initiatives to make the Atlantic an area of stability, security and prosperity.
For his part, Dominguez praised the enlightened vision of His Majesty the King to promote South-South cooperation, underlining Morocco's active role within the IMO Council to implement the Organization's strategy in various fields, such as environmental protection, climate change, technical evolution and training of seafarers.
He also welcomed the Kingdom's ongoing commitment to strengthening its ties with the IMO, in particular through initiatives aimed at improving maritime safety and developing the capacities of African countries. Morocco currently holds the position of Vice-Chairman of the Council of the International Maritime Organization.
Morocco was re-elected to the IMO Council in Category C for a new term from 2024 to 2025, during the work of the organization's 33rd Assembly held in London from November 27 to December 6, 2023. This re-election, for the 16th time since its membership in 1962, testifies to the Kingdom's credibility and commitment to the development of the maritime sector.
The IMO Secretary-General's visit to Morocco is the first of its kind to an African or Arab country since his election in 2023.
The International Maritime Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations, which currently has 176 member states. It is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of maritime transport and preventing pollution of the seas and atmosphere by ships. The forty-member IMO Council is responsible for overseeing its work and coordinating the activities of the organization's bodies.
