The King Mohammed VI power plant which is a gift from the Kingdom of Morocco to the Republic of Niger has been inaugurated on Thursday in Niamey.

According to the Moroccan News Agency, MAP, the power plant represents a major milestone in Morocco-Niger Republic relations. 

At the inauguration, there were dignitaries from both countries were in attendance.

They included Nigerien government officials, led by Brigadier General Abdourrahmane Tiani, President of Niger’s National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), and Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine.

Other attendees were diplomats, representatives from international organizations, members of the Moroccan expatriate community, and local civil society. 

The King Mohammed VI power plant is located in the Gamkaley industrial zone.

 It has a production capacity of 22.5 MVA (20 MW) and is designed to address Niger’s ongoing energy challenges, providing vital support to the local population by improving electricity access and bolstering the country’s energy infrastructure.

This donation reflects Morocco’s ongoing role as a key strategic partner in Niger’s development, especially in the context of the region’s energy crisis. 

More significantly, the completion of the power plant is part of Morocco’s broader vision to foster African solidarity and support sustainable development across the continent.

Initiatives like this power plant reflect King Mohammed VI’s dedication to advancing the development of Sahelian countries, as seen in projects such as the Royal Initiative to improve Sahel nations’ access to the Atlantic Ocean. 

In December 2023, Niger expressed the significance of the Royal Initiative, with Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare noting that it aligns with Morocco’s goal to foster co-development across the African continent, particularly in the Sahel region.

Sangare made this assessment during a ministerial coordination meeting in Marrakech, where he pointed out that Niger hopes the initiative will bring tangible benefits, including the commercialization of national resources and enhanced regional connectivity and trade. 

In his November 2023 Green March speech, King Mohammed VI said: “The Atlantic coast is our gateway to Africa and the Americas. Hence my keen desire to rehabilitate our national coastline, including the part in the Moroccan Sahara region bordering the Atlantic, and re-engineer this geopolitical space at the African level.”

He also outlined his vision of transforming the region into a hub for human interaction and economic integration. The ultimate goal, the monarch suggested, is to cement Morocco’s standing as a regional leader, a trendsetter, and a model as the continent strives to rise to the pressing challenges of an ever-shifting and more competitive global economy.

Carried out in a notably short timeframe, the gifted power plant was executed by a joint team from the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI), the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), and Niger’s National Electricity Company (NIGELEC).

This marks another step in the continuous strengthening of bilateral relations between the two nations, promoting a common vision for regional stability and prosperity.

The Supreme Council of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) has reiterated its constant positions and resolutions in support of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara in ensuring the security and stability of the Kingdom of Morocco and preserving its territorial integrity.

 In the final communiqué issued following its 45th summit held today in Kuwait, the Council praised UN Security Council Resolution 2756 issued on October 31, 2024, regarding the Moroccan Sahara, and insisted on respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

 The Supreme Council also emphasized “the importance of the special strategic partnership between the GCC and the Kingdom of Morocco and the implementation of the joint action plan.”

 The 45th GCC Summit discussed a wide range of cooperation challenges between GCC countries, including political and economic challenges, as well as means to strengthen joint action, in addition to regional developments.

As Ecuador did earlier in the year, Panama has also jettisoned its recognition of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), a breakaway political entity established by the Polisario Front.

The SADR claims to represent the Western Sahara region in southern Morocco. It was established in 1983. On Thursday, the Republic of Panama decided to suspend its diplomatic relations with SADR.

“In accordance with the rules of international law, the government of Panama has decided to suspend, as of today (Thursday), diplomatic relations” with the so-called ‘SADR’, the Panamanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

 “The Republic of Panama, giving priority to the national interest and in accordance with the fundamental principles of its foreign policy, reaffirms its conviction in the objectives and values that guide multilateralism and reiterates its willingness to continue supporting the efforts of the Secretary-General and the international community, within the framework of the United Nations, to achieve a peaceful, just, lasting and acceptable solution for the parties” involved in the Sahara issue, the statement added.

 The Republic of Panama “reaffirms its commitment to dialogue and multilateral cooperation, in full compliance with a constructive foreign policy aimed at strengthening international peace and security,” the same source pointed out.