The Atlantic Initiative, launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is a long-term strategic vision for Africa. It aims to transform a fragmented space into an integrated region built on four pillars: order, stability, connectivity, and shared prosperity. The ambition is to position Africa’s Atlantic façade as a hub for collective security and development.
Access to the sea remains a major structural challenge for landlocked states, particularly in the Sahel-Saharan region. In a global context where maritime spaces are increasingly central to trade and geopolitics, opening these countries to the Atlantic Ocean represents a strategic opportunity for economic transformation. It is within this framework that Morocco’s Royal Initiative for Atlantic Africa seeks to promote stronger regional cooperation and shared growth.
“While the Mediterranean façade connects Morocco to Europe, the Atlantic façade is Morocco’s gateway to Africa and its window onto the Americas. That is why we are committed to upgrading our national coastline, including the Atlantic façade of the Moroccan Sahara, and organizing this geopolitical space at the African level.”
King Mohammed VI
The objective of the Royal Atlantic Initiative is to strengthen security, stability, and prosperity for the 23 African states bordering the Atlantic, while providing vital maritime access to Sahel countries such as Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad. Designed to structure the Atlantic geopolitical space, it emphasizes modern infrastructure—ports, roads, railways, and gas pipelines—to foster regional integration and sustainable co-development.
“The Royal Initiative to grant Sahel countries access to the Atlantic goes far beyond geographic land access. As mentioned by the Minister yesterday, it goes beyond access to Moroccan ports. It embodies an action-oriented economic diplomacy focused on connectivity, diversification, and regional integration by opening new routes to global markets. It creates an African space of exchange, shared prosperity, and stability.”
Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Faced with an infrastructure financing gap of nearly 100 billion USD per year in Sub-Saharan Africa, Morocco is offering concrete solutions. This momentum, bringing hope to 85 million people in the Sahel-Saharan region, relies on large-scale projects. Among them are the commissioning of the Dakhla Port by 2028 and the development of the Nigeria–Morocco gas pipeline, two major drivers of regional synergy.
“It is a solid project with macroeconomic components that demonstrate its profitability and feasibility. From there, we have also launched all monitoring studies, both onshore and offshore, as well as environmental impact assessments, which are essential to finalize financing studies.”
Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines
With a coastline of over 3,500 km, the longest claimed in Africa, Morocco—ranked as the continent’s fourth maritime power—stands out as a country with strong maritime potential. Moreover, Atlantic Africa holds immense opportunities: this coastal region includes 23 countries, represents 46% of Africa’s population, 55% of its GDP, and 57% of its trade.
