King's visit to Gabon: an opportunity to match economic ties with excellent political relations
Morocco-Gabon, Politics, 6/19/2004

Morocco's King Mohammed VI started this Friday a visit to Gabon, with on top of the agenda consolidation of economic ties that remain well below the excellent and privileged political bonds, the considerable potentials in the two African countries, and the aspirations of the two peoples.

During his previous visit to Gabon in September 2002, the sovereign and had then urged for giving a new impulse to bilateral relations and trade exchanges. The present royal visit is set to stimulate bilateral ties and investments.

In Libreville, the media has underscored in its Friday's edition the importance and great significance of the king's "working and friendship visit," part of his tour to five African nations.

In a story titled "Welcome Mohammed VI," "L'Union," the major daily of the capital city of Libreville, writes that the trip will be an opportunity for the Moroccan king and president Haj Omar Bango of Gabon, who are bound by solid ties of friendship, to discuss means to promote Morocco-Gabon economic relations.

The daily which publishes on its front page a photo of the sovereign with the Gabonese president reports that special and exceptional arrangements were taken to give Gabon's illustrious guest a red-carpet welcome, matching the close linking existing between the two African nations and peoples. For "L'Union," the visit confirms Morocco's great interest in Gabon and the King's wish to support the promotion of bilateral cooperation.

The paper which publishes interviews with Morocco's ambassador in Gabon and Gabon's ambassador in Morocco recalls that Libreville has been steadfast in its refusal to recognize the puppet "SADR" republic, self-proclaimed by the Polisario separatists who claim the secession of Moroccan southern provinces from the rest of Morocco.

Indeed, Gabon has never renounced its support to Morocco in the Sahara issue opposing the kingdom to the Algeria-backed movement and has repeatedly voiced its "resolved and unwavering" backing to a political solution that guarantees Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces.

"La Relance" weekly notes that the two heads of state will examine in-depth bilateral cooperation and recalls that the Gabonese president had close ties with the late King Hassan II (father of King Mohammed VI).

On its part, "Tele Africa" TV station run a special broadcast on the Moroccan King's visit, hosting the ambassadors of the two countries who spoke about the significance of the Royal tour in Sub-Saharan Africa and the importance of the Gabonese leg.

Previous Stories:
  Gabon warns against serious dangers of Baker's new plan for the Sahara   (10/10/2003)
  Presidents of Gabon, Congo Arrive in Morocco   (9/16/2003)
  Gabon's Defense Minister in Morocco   (11/2/2002)

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