Scores of ambitious projects mark Morocco-Senegal partnership

Morocco and Senegal are involved in a series of ambitious economic projects such as Air Segal International (ASI), a road and a maritime ferry linking Tangier to the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

Air Senegal International is a project carried out with the support of Royal Air Morocco (RAM) since 2001. ASI has sales of 88,4 mln Euros for 350,000 passengers. In 2005, its managers expect a turnover of around 117 mln Euros for 500,000 passengers.

The 3,000 km-long trans-Saharan road linking Tangier to Dakar is another big project between the two countries. After works are accomplished in the Mauritanian territory, the road is scheduled to be operational this year.

Another major project under study is a maritime link between Casablanca and Dakar through the Mauritanian city of Nouadhibou.

Morocco and Senegal are carrying out another strategic project which is a maritime link between Dakar and Ziguinchor (some 450km to the south).

The sea line, to be managed by a joint firm, aims at opening up this part of Africa and consolidating the peace process carried out in this rich region.

These projects will be a vector of development to many African countries notably Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.

The Moroccan sovereign's visit to Senegal, third leg of a tour that already included Gabon and Burkina Faso, is set to be another landmark in Africa's economic integration and illustrates the exemplary south-south cooperation stepped up by Morocco and Senegal.