Morocco has made cooperation with landlocked countries, particularly in Africa, a strategic priority within its international partnership policy, declared Abdessamad Kayouh, Minister of Transport and Logistics, on Tuesday in Awaza, Turkmenistan. Speaking during the plenary session of the third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, running through August 8, Kayouh emphasized Morocco's commitment to supporting African landlocked nations by strengthening South-South and triangular development initiatives. These efforts aim to improve the living conditions of local populations and bolster their development capacities. He highlighted several key efforts in this regard, notably the royal initiative to provide Sahel countries with access to the Atlantic Ocean. Morocco's cooperation strategy, he added, is also reflected in a series of pioneering initiatives, including the revitalization of the three Climate Commissions launched in 2016 during the African Action Summit, the Center of Competence in Climate Change, the «Adaptation of African Agriculture to Climate Change» (AAA) initiative, the «Sustainability, Stability, and Security in Africa» (SSS) initiative, and the African Youth Climate Hub. Kayouh also welcomed the adoption of the new Awaza Action Plan for the Decade 2024–2034, describing it as a strong expression of collective commitment to advancing international cooperation tailored to the specific needs of landlocked developing countries. He further underlined the major structural challenges faced by these nations, including their isolation from international markets, high transit costs, and vulnerability to global shocks, all of which exacerbate their fragility. In light of these challenges, the minister called on the international community to inject new momentum into cooperation efforts through customized support and innovative partnerships capable of driving meaningful structural transformation. Morocco is participating in the conference with a delegation led by Minister Kayouh and including Omar Hilale, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations; Mohamed Rachid Maaninou, Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan; as well as diplomats and senior officials from the Ministry of Transport and Logistics.
