Morocco officially adheres to COMESSA
Morocco-Regional, Politics, 2/13/2001

Morocco became Monday a full-fledged member of the Sahel and Saharan States Community (COMESSA), which is holding its third summit in the Sudanese capital city of Khartoum.

The summit also approved the membership of Egypt, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Somalia-which thus marked a return to the international scene after 10 years of civil war--

bringing up the number of member states to 16.

King Mohammed VI is represented in the summit by Prime Minister, Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

Speaking at the opening session, President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir of Sudan voiced happiness to welcome the new members whose adherence, he said, will undoubtedly consolidate the community's action."

Under its charter, COMESSA seeks the establishment of a global economic union, the promotion of exchanges and investments, the development of infrastructures, the harmonization of educational, scientific and pedagogical systems and the suppression of all restrictions hampering the free movement of people and goods among member states.

The 16-nation summit is attended by 12 heads of state, including Libya's Moammar Kaddafi, who was behind the creation of COMESSA in 1997, as a political and economic grouping. The group is meant to be a step towards wider African unity.

Besides the new members (Morocco, Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia and Somalia), the grouping musters the Central African Republic, Senegal, Zambia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and Libya.

Morocco views its adherence to COMESSA as stemming from a will to contribute to the building of a prosperous tomorrow in the region.

Morocco's adherence to COMESSA stems from a will to accompany the march of this grouping towards a future of prosperity and well-being for the peoples of this region that is dear to us, said Premier Youssoufi in a speech before the Khartoum summit on Monday.

Youssoufi underlined that Morocco's adherence to the grouping "is very natural in view of the bonds of civilization, religion and culture binding the Kingdom to these nations."

The Prime Minister stressed that Morocco has always called its African brothers to regional integration as a strategic choice likely to bring people together and mobilize their efforts to face up the powerful regional groupings in other continents.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco attends COMESSA summit   (2/12/2001)
  King Mohammed sends message to Sudanese president   (2/12/2001)

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