Morocco, Gabon voice resolve to enhance cooperation
Morocco-Gabon, Politics, 9/13/2002

Morocco's King Mohammed VI and President Haj Omar Bongo of Gabon have voiced resolve to spare no effort to further consolidate the ties existing between the two African countries and enhance and diversify their cooperation to raise it to the level of the deep friendship binding the two peoples.

This came in the joint communique made public Wednesday at the end of the visit of friendship and brotherhood King Mohammed VI paid to Gabon Tuesday and Wednesday on his way back from Johannesburg where he participated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

The two heads of state who held several rounds of tete-a-tete talks discussed issues of mutual concern and bilateral cooperation and surveyed the situation in their sub-regions, in Africa and in the world. They noted with satisfaction that they had identical standpoints on the issues brought up.

The two leaders renewed resolve to spare no effort to further consolidate the ties of friendship and cooperation existing between Morocco and Gabon and called the private sector to contribute to the promotion of bilateral economic and trade relations.

They likewise pledged to foster cultural and technical exchanges and cooperation mainly in the sector of vocational training, new technologies and environment protection.

At the regional level, the sovereign informed President Bongo on the situation prevailing in the Maghreb and on the evolution of the Sahara issue.

President Bongo voiced his country's "resolute and constant attachment to the perfection of the territorial integrity of the kingdom of Morocco" and renewed Gabon's support, without any reservation, to a political solution, guaranteeing Morocco's territorial integrity and national sovereignty, with a view to reaching a peaceful and lasting solution to the Sahara issue.

President Bongo also voiced concern over the humanitarian aspects of the Sahara issue and called for the liberation of the Moroccan prisoners who are still detained in deplorable conditions in the Tindouf camps in southwestern Algeria.

The Gabonese head of state deplored Morocco's absence from the recently set up African Union and expressed hope that all the obstacles hampering Morocco's return to the African fold be lifted the soonest. He also paid tribute to King Mohammed VI for the key role he played in restoring trust between the three member countries of the Mano River Union and in restoring peace, security and stability in the sub-region.

King Mohammed VI paid tribute to President Bongo for his tireless efforts to defuse crises in central Africa and in the Great Lakes region, preserve peace and stability and promote freedom and human rights in the continent.

The two heads of state who also talked of the African continent's development hailed the NEPAD (new partnership for African development) as a coherent and concrete platform for the continent's sustained development and called for the establishment of a fair new world economic order, taking into account Africa's specific needs. They also called for the consolidation of international cooperation mainly in the fields of trade, technology transfer, for easing African products' access to world markets and for alleviating the debt burden.

Previous Stories:
  Gabon renews support to Morocco's territorial integrity   (9/12/2002)
  King Mohamme paid a short visit to Gabon   (9/2/2002)
  King Mohammed VI Receives Gabon's President   (7/2/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search