Dr. Najib SOMOUEEconomist – President of the Mediterranean Development Centre (MEDEV)
The World Social Forum has always been more than a gathering of civil society organizations. It is a global space where new ideas emerge, where alternative models of development are debated, and where collective solutions are imagined to address the challenges facing humanity. In today's rapidly evolving international environment, Africa finds itself at a historic crossroads. While global geopolitical tensions, climate change, food insecurity, and economic fragmentation continue to reshape international relations, the continent is simultaneously offered an unprecedented opportunity to redefine its own development trajectory. It is in this spirit that our conference, "The Atlantic Africa Initiative: A New Horizon for Regional Integration and Sustainable Development," seeks to contribute to the debate. Rather than presenting a simple infrastructure project, we aim to explore one of the most ambitious strategic visions currently emerging from Africa itself: His Majesty King Mohammed VI's Atlantic Initiative for the Atlantic African States and the Sahel countries. This initiative deserves to be examined not only as a national policy but as a continental project capable of redefining Africa's economic geography. The Atlantic Initiative comes at a decisive moment for Africa. The global economy is experiencing profound transformations as supply chains are reorganized, new industrial hubs emerge, and international trade routes are being redefined. These transformations offer Africa a unique opportunity to reposition itself—not merely as a supplier of raw materials, but as an integrated economic space capable of creating value, fostering innovation, and strengthening regional sovereignty. The Initiative proposed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI reflects precisely this long-term strategic vision. It recognizes that sustainable peace and development cannot rely exclusively on security approaches. Instead, they require greater economic integration, stronger regional cooperation, improved connectivity, and shared prosperity among African nations. This vision represents a shift from reactive policies to proactive continental transformation. Few regions illustrate this potential better than Atlantic Africa. Extending from Tangier in the north to Cape Town in the south, this maritime space encompasses twenty-three African countries that together represent nearly half of the continent's population and approximately 55 percent of Africa's economic output. Such figures highlight the immense strategic importance of the Atlantic corridor in shaping Africa's future economic landscape. The Atlantic Ocean is therefore no longer simply a maritime frontier. It is becoming one of Africa's greatest strategic assets. Major ports such as Tangier Med, Dakhla, Dakar, Lagos, Luanda and Cape Town already serve as gateways connecting Africa to Europe, the Americas and Asia. Yet the full potential of these infrastructures remains largely untapped because they continue to operate within fragmented logistical systems rather than as components of an integrated continental network. The Atlantic Initiative proposes precisely this missing connection. By strengthening transport corridors linking Atlantic ports with the landlocked countries of the Sahel, it seeks to transform geographical constraints into economic opportunities.
Modern roads, railways and logistics corridors connecting Dakhla, Nouakchott, Monrovia, Lagos and Pointe-Noire with Bamako, Niamey, N'Djamena and Bangui would dramatically improve market access while reducing transport costs and increasing regional competitiveness. Such connectivity is not an end in itself. It represents the physical foundation upon which the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can truly flourish. Regional integration cannot succeed through legal agreements alone; it requires efficient logistics, modern infrastructure and seamless mobility of goods, services and people. The Atlantic Initiative therefore provides one of the essential building blocks for making continental integration a tangible reality. The expected economic impact extends far beyond trade facilitation. Improved logistics would stimulate foreign direct investment, accelerate industrialization, encourage the creation of African value chains and generate new employment opportunities across multiple sectors. It would also strengthen cooperation among African countries through the exchange of expertise, technology and best practices. Particularly significant is the Initiative's emphasis on industrial development. Better logistical performance could facilitate the emergence of integrated manufacturing ecosystems, including automotive industries, agro-processing and other high-value-added sectors. Rather than competing individually, African countries could cooperate within regional production networks, combining Morocco's industrial expertise with the demographic and economic potential of partner countries. The Initiative also rests upon three strategic pillars that together form a coherent vision for Africa's future economic sovereignty. The first is the Atlantic Africa Gas Pipeline, designed to strengthen regional energy integration while supporting industrial development and long-term energy security across West Africa. The second pillar is the establishment of an African Continental Shipping Company. At a time when Africa remains highly dependent on external maritime operators, such an institution would significantly reinforce the continent's logistical autonomy, increase regional competitiveness and facilitate intra-African trade. The third pillar focuses on the development of an integrated fertilizer value chain, contributing directly to food sovereignty and agricultural resilience. By strengthening fertilizer production and distribution across the continent, Africa would be better equipped to address one of its most pressing development challenges: ensuring food security for its growing population. These ambitious projects illustrate that the Atlantic Initiative is not simply about infrastructure. It is about creating a comprehensive ecosystem where energy, logistics, industry, agriculture and trade reinforce one another to generate inclusive and sustainable growth. This holistic vision explains why the World Social Forum constitutes an ideal platform to discuss the Initiative. Development today can no longer be measured solely through economic growth indicators. Infrastructure must also contribute to social inclusion, territorial cohesion, environmental sustainability and equal opportunities. Civil society therefore has a central role to play in ensuring that major continental projects generate benefits that are broadly shared across communities. Our conference seeks precisely to open this dialogue.
It will bring together policymakers, parliamentarians, academics, researchers, entrepreneurs, youth representatives and civil society organizations to reflect collectively on the future of African integration. Beyond presenting the Atlantic Initiative, we hope to explore how it can become a catalyst for inclusive development, regional solidarity and citizen participation. Several strategic questions will guide our discussions. How can the Atlantic Initiative accelerate the implementation of the AfCFTA? What governance mechanisms are needed to ensure equitable participation among all African countries? How can local communities, young entrepreneurs and women benefit from the opportunities generated by these new economic corridors? And how can sustainability remain at the heart of this transformation? These are not merely technical questions. They concern the very model of development that Africa chooses for the decades ahead. They require dialogue across sectors, institutions and societies—a dialogue that the World Social Forum has successfully promoted for more than two decades. Ultimately, His Majesty King Mohammed VI's Atlantic Initiative offers Africa more than a development strategy; it proposes a new narrative of continental cooperation. It demonstrates that connectivity can become a source of solidarity, that infrastructure can strengthen sovereignty, and that regional integration can be built upon partnership rather than competition. As participants gather at the World Social Forum, we invite them to consider this Initiative not simply as a Moroccan proposal, but as an African opportunity. The future of Africa will not be shaped by isolated national successes, but by our collective capacity to build shared spaces of prosperity, resilience and cooperation. The Atlantic Initiative provides one of the strongest foundations upon which that common future can be built.
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