Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which are landlocked nations, have supported a Moroccan initiative aimed at granting them access to the Atlantic Ocean, as stated by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During a meeting on Monday in Rabat with King Mohammed VI, the foreign ministers of these three military-led West African countries conveyed their positions.
Last year, this trio announced their departure from the regional organization ECOWAS and established their own security alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States, while cutting military ties with traditional Western allies like the U.S. and France, and seeking military assistance from Russia.
In December 2023, Morocco introduced a trade initiative to enable these countries to access the Atlantic Ocean through its ports, following trade restrictions imposed by ECOWAS on the junta-led nations.
The foreign ministers reiterated their “full support for and commitment to accelerating its implementation” during the royal meeting, which occurs amid rising tensions with Algeria, Morocco’s regional rival.
Recently, Algeria claimed to have downed a Malian drone that entered its airspace near Tin Zaouatine, a claim that Mali has denied.
